Choices: The Past and the Future
by animearchitect
Summary: Kahoko has a crush on Len, is in a relationship with Ryoutaro, is carrying Azuma's baby, is inlove with Kazuki and... guess which cones first. Who actually marries her?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** This story is purely fictional. All characters here are not of my own making. And also, I hope you enjoy my story Its all based on my own life, I hope you don't find it boring. Thanks so much!

**PROLOGUE**

Peering out of the window in their rented house, a girl with shoulder-length red hair sighed as she stared unseeingly at the full moon. _I can't seem to sleep... Not just that, I can't forget about HIM! Its been what, 3 weeks already and all I can think about is his face, how he felt next to me... It sounds really silly but I can't help it...._

Giving a last moment glance outside, she crept back to bed with a heavy heart. Covering her whole body with the blanket, she listened in as her older brother Kai snored peacefully in the bed next to her. Not long after, she felt hot tears stinging her eyes and dropping in her pink pillow heedlessly as she painfully recalled everything that happened 3 weeks ago.

**FLASHBACK:**

"I'm sorry but we can't see each other anymore. I'm going back to my ex-girlfriend tomorrow night." a handsome man spoke softly, unable to look at the young girl beside him. _Too young for me... 10 years is too much of an age gap between us.._

"When will I get to see you again?" the girl fought back her tears as she stared at the setting sun. It seemed ages ago when she felt the man beside her make love to her with all the passion and tenderness he felt for her. Now, she has to accept the fact that she has to let go of him.

"Dunno... But we can still be friends, right?" the man looked smilingly on at the girl, noticing tears forming in the corner of her eyes. _I love you... I wish I can say that to you_...

"Maybe... " the girl sighed back. She can't stand it when men just assume that they can be 'friends' again after a dumping.

"I'm sure you'll do fine without me Kaho... You would do well without me, you'll see... I'm glad I met someone like you.. Please take good care of yourself when I leave..." the man hugged Hino to him, he hoped that she hadn't heard the pain in his voice. Hoping against hope that they'll cross paths again, and that in that next time, they'll have the love he wanted to give her.

"I don't know if I can be fine without you... I don't know if I ever will be... Please don't forget about me.." Kaho pleaded in her tiniest voice, biting back the pain as she gave him a stolen kiss in the cheek, savoring the feel of his skin against her's. _I love you so much Ryou!!!_ she wanted to shout it out.

_But who am I to shout it out? I'm just a naive 18 year old college student whereas he's a 28 year old man who wants to have kids with his ex-girlfriend.... Who am I?_

**END OF FLASHBACK**

"Ryou...." Hino painfully whispered, praying that he heard her call out to him. Checking her phone to see if Tsuchiura returned and decided to text her, _No message._


	2. Chapter 1:

**Author's Note:** This story is purely fictional. All characters here are not of my own making. And also, I hope you enjoy my story Its all based on my own life, I hope you don't find it boring. Thanks so much!

**CHAPTER 1**

"So, how long do you think will you keep on being like this?" Nao looked at Kahoko's downcast face.

She watched her friend battle her intense sense of depression a year after she broke up Ryotaro Tsuchiura. From a happy go lucky girl, she turned into a complete stranger from her and Mio. She only heard of what went on between Hino and Ryou when she found out the letters Ryou left on her mail.

_how are you? are you still angry? i'm trying to contact you but all i get is a voice mail hehehe...are you using the same number if you have new one try to txt me ok thnks take care i'll wait for you!_

_06/24/2007 9:30 pm_

_sorry i only replied just now, this is the only time i got to go online... yes, that was me who messaged you that i missed you and until now im trying to contact you but the voice mail is the only one who answers me... how are you? i want to meet up with you again even if its for a short while, just to be sure that you're doing ok.. im still using the same number, text me when you'll be available... thanks hino!_

_07/29/2007 11:14 pm_

_so you have a new person been motivating you a lot, im happy for you hino, now i know that your doing fine and ur happy,i'm happy too for you... take good care of your self...take care!_

_08/01/2007 12:45 am_

"What the heck is wrong with this guy?" Nao muttered as she grew even more disgusted with each letter. She thought that Ryou would totally leave her alone, but he still made Kaho keep her hopes up.

"He's totally ruining her life..." Mio whispered to Nao sadly.

"He's a complete bastard!" Mio angrily logged off Kaho's mail with a huff.

"Its okay guys... I'm ok.." Kahoko smiled falteringly at them before feeding her pet cat. "Everyone has their ups and downs... I'm not an exception to the rules."

"But Kaho-chan---"

"Its really okay.."

* * *

**Kahoko's POV**

_Its not like we became "it"...._ Gazing sadly at her window, she remembered how Ryou's lips felt when he kissed her. _My first kiss...._

Lifting her finger to her lips, she remembered how it tasted when Ryou kissed her. She felt his soft velvety lips against her and the gentleness in his kiss.

_I wish the kiss never ended..._

* * *

**The next day....**

"Psst… Nao…" Mio called her from behind as their professor discussed about isometric projections in figures.

"Yeah?" Nao whispered back as she pretended to write down the lectures.

"Kaho-chan has the look again…" Mio pointed at their friend's face from the other side of the room.

Turning to look, Nao did see Kahoko look wistfully at the window beside her, hair gently floating with the air.

"I know… I just wish she'd be over Tsuchiura… He's not good for her health..."

* * *

**Kahoko's POV**

_I know its been a year now….. But I still can't get over him… He's been in my mind ever since…_

Kahoko looked down on her notebook, with Tsuchiura Ryoutaro's name doodled with pink hearts and cupid's arrow.

_You're crazy if you think he'll come back to you… _She remembered Nao and Mio tell her in the gentlest manner.

_What if I am crazy enough to think that?_ Kahoko answered back, but she knew that her friends know the truth.

_Kaho-chan…._ Nao hugged her as her tears slowly fell down her cheeks, unable to hold it back.

_Silly me… Nao and Mio are right….He will never come back to me… I've been keeping my hopes up a lot… But still…._ Kahoko gently touched with her finger her lips. _He's still my very first kiss…_

* * *

**Len's POV**

_She's touching her lips again…_ I know I shouldn't care what she does, but she's been doing it for months now. So what if I saw her cry a couple of times because of that bastard Tsuchiura? Its none of my business. 

_But still… _Looking down at his own notebook, he saw Hino Kahoko's face very clearly. _ It's not like I like her. She's not like the rest of the girls I know._

As he copied the figure their professor wanted them to create an isometric view of, he remembered when he accidentally overheard Hino on the phone with Tsuchiura.

**FLASHBACK**

_"I know Ryou-kun. I can move on easily you know. It's not like it's the end of the world!" Kahoko mustered a giggle._

Looking at who was talking, Len laid his back flat on the wall and saw Hino giggling while tears fell unchecked on her cheeks down to her shoes.

_Isn't that, Kahoko Hino? _Len asked himself as he listened in on Kahoko's phone call.

_"No, it's okay... Really!" Kahoko smiled as she stroked the roses on the school's railings._

_"No, you don't need to worry… I'm a big girl…" gently putting her finger to her lips, Kahoko's smile changed perceptibly along with her voice._

_"Look, I've got to go. I hear the bell for my Drafting class. Till next time." Kahoko clicked off the phone, "Or not…" she said after hanging up. _

Quickly hiding in the nearest classroom, Len breathed a sigh of relief. It's not his style to hide from people, but he'd rather like to not get caught eavesdropping from other people's conversation.

_So you're also hiding something, huh?_

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Eversince he overheard the conversation Hino had with Tsuchiura, he always caught Hino stroking her lips and smiling in a painful way.

_I guess you're still hurt…_ Len gazed again at Hino as she inked her drawing.

"That one's wrong…" standing up from his chair and walking towards Kahoko, a few chairs away from her, Len pointed down at Kahoko's drawing.

"Oh!" Kahoko dropped her triangle in surprise.

"That should be here, and the figure's all wrong." Len pointed with his mechanical pencil, making the necessary corrections.

"I'm sorry, Tsukimori-kun…" Kahoko smiled apologetically up at him and she hastily placed another tracing paper on top of the one she's doing.

Walking away, Len ran his hand through his hair. _When will you ever grow up, Kahoko Hino?_

* * *

"Hino-san… Where are you going?" Shimizu Keiichi asked as he saw Kahoko stand up from their usual spot in the field.

"Oh… I'm just going to buy something... I'm very thirsty…" Kahoko fluffed the dirt away from her skirt.

"Could you buy me something too…? A tea perhaps? The coldest one they have..." Len gave Kahoko some change.

"Sure… Thanks by the way for helping me a while ago, Tsukimori-kun…" Kahoko bowed low at Len's stoic profile.

"It's nothing. But I hope you get it right next time. The next lesson will be much harder and if you can't cope up with this week's lesson, I doubt you'd be able to cope up with the next one." Len looked at the students in the stage, dancing.

"Don't be so hard on Kaho-chan, Tsukimori-kun!" Nao looked at Len disapprovingly.

"Being all soft won't do any good to anyone." Len answered back.

"Look, its nothing really Nao-kun… Its fine…" Kahoko mediated between the two with Keiichi looking on blankly and Mio eating uncomfortably.

Watching Kahoko walk away, Nao glared at Len.

"Its not so much as being gentler with her after all she's been through!"

"I told you already, being gentle won't do anyone any good."

"But it's the least you could do!"

"I can do nothing!"

"Yes you can do—"

"Arguing what's best for Kaho-chan won't do her good…" Mio cut Nao off.

"Let's just do our best to make her happy." Keiichi spoke quietly.

"I suppose so…" Nao agreed, not before giving Len a nasty glare.

_After a while…._

"Here's your tea, Tsukimori-kun…" Kahoko handed Len a red bottle before sitting on her spot next to Mio and Nao.

"Kaho-chan, your phone's ringing." Mio pointed down at Kaho's vibrating bag.

"Oh!" picking up her phone, Kaho saw her brother's name register on the screen.

"Hi onii-chan!" Kahoko warmly greeted her brother.

"Kaho-chan, would you mind stopping by the mall later? I've got something I want you to buy." Kaho's older brother's voice drifted off from the phone.

"Sure… What is it?" Kahoko spooned off some sweet dessert from her bento box.

"Buy me some stuff I need for our company team building. I'll text you the stuff, okay? Just bill it to me..."

"Okay..." Kahoko clicked off the phone and saw the amused faces of both Mio and Nao.

"What?"

"Its cool that you have such a gorgeous brother who happens to work in a HUGE company!" Mio giggled, pointing at the phone.

"And it helps that the two of you are close…" Nao agreed, pinching Mio in the cheeks.

"Come on guys! Not my brother!" Kahoko wailed.

"He IS CUTE!!" Mio smiled wickedly at Kahoko.

"We are talking about Kahoko's brother are we?" Keiichi gazed wonderingly at the three girls.

"Yes we are!" Mio giggled even more.

"Cut it you two!" Kahoko shushed at them just as the bell rang for the Design class.

"Sometimes I wonder what you girls have for brains…" Len muttered under his breath.

"I wonder too sometimes…" Kahoko smiled up at Len before walking off with Mio and Nao, catching what he just said.

_And sometimes, I wonder what really is going in on your head, Kahoko Hino…_ Len gazed at Kahoko as she walked hand in hand with her two friends.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ok, so it's a bit boring at this point. But there's no electricity!! Thank GOD the laptop still has some charge left! The next chapter's going to be more exciting, PROMISE!

Anyway, just want to say that I WOULD REALLY like to get some ideas from you guys! I'd like you to either tell me what kind of twist you want in my story or what plot you want me to create. I'll just add all of your ideas to my story.

Thank you!! Arigatou-gozaimasou!!

***by the way, I'll explain in the author's note why there are a couple of weird things in the story… I'm really far too excited to explain right now.. CLUE: my nieces are making a ruckus downstairs!!!


	3. Chapter 2: The Welcome

**Author's Note:** I do not own La Corda D'oro, but my story plot is original.

**Chapter 2: The Welcome**

"Kaho-chan!" Mio called out as she entered the classroom early in the morning.

"Good morning, Mio-chan…" Kahoko smiled back at Mio as she unloaded her stuff for their Drafting Class.

"You're early today, Kaho-chan… How come?" Mio sat down beside her.

"My sister passed by early today, so I decided I'd just hitch a ride in their car to save on money… That'll come useful when I'm going to buy some new pens…" Kahoko answered as she checked the technical pens she borrowed from her brother-in-law.

"Oh… Thrifty…" Mio nodded wisely.

"Good morning, Kaho-chan. Good morning, Mio-chan…" a sleepy voice greeted them from behind.

"Good morning, Shimizu-kun!" both girls greeted enthusiastically at their sleepy friend.

"It's a good thing Shouka Fuyuumi-chan will be able to join us here today... She's not sick anymore…" Kahoko grinned at Mio as she pointed Keiichi.

Giggling, Mio winked back at Kahoko, "How'd you know?"

"She texted me last night… Its so good to have her back you know..."

"Is Fuyuumi-chan ok?" Keiichi sleepily asked the two girls as he sat down.

"Seems so…" Kahoko smiled sweetly at Keiichi.

"That's good…" Keiichi smiled before drifting off to sleep in his table.

Giggling, both girls hadn't noticed the cerulean haired Len Tsukimori enter the room.

"I suppose its funny watching Shimizu go to sleep?" he sarcastically asked the two girls, making them jump with fright.

"Tsukimori-kun!" Kahoko blushed as she saw him.

"Sorry…" Mio bowed apologetically.

"Its okay… I find it amazing somehow that he never lacks the ability to fall asleep…" Len gave a small smile before taking his seat behind Keiichi.

"I know what you mean…" Kahoko smiled as she walked towards Len's and Keiichi's seat.

Reaching their seats, Kahoko pulled an empty chair and sat next to Keiichi. Pulling back a stray hair from Keiichi's blonde head, Kahoko smiled down at his sleepy face.

Gazing at Kahoko innocently look down at Keiichi, she hadn't noticed Len fought an internal battle with his conscience.

* * *

**Len's POV**

_She's nothing to me…_

_Are you sure?_

_Yes._

_How come you look at her as if you haven't seen her in a while?_

_Because I haven't seen her a while!_

_But you saw her yesterday._

_That was yesterday!_

_See what I mean!?!_

_What do you mean? _

_You like her! You just don't want to admit it!! You're losing your battle with me!_

_I can never lose a battle with my conscience!_

_As if! I'm right and you know it!_

Sighing with disbelief, Len pushed his hands through his hair with disdain. He had trouble sleeping last night due to his stupid conscience who won't take 'no' for an answer. It insisted that he's in love with Kahoko Hino. Just thinking about the battle he had with himself makes him crazy.

On the other hand, he can't stop thinking about Kahoko Hino. Especially when they walked home together since her house is just near his.

* * *

**Flashback**

"You know, Tsukimori-kun, I wonder why love is so complicated… Like the lesson we had yesterday…" Kahoko walked alongside Len on the way home.

"Life is complicated in that order…" Len answered back as he gazed on at the passing scenery.

"I know it seems really silly of me to say this since we're in college already…" Kahoko smiled inwardly, "but haven't you felt like the things you're doing, the steps and actions you're deciding upon isn't you? Like as if you're just playing some role here on Earth without the least idea why?"

Looking at Kahoko thoughtfully, Len saw the same look Kahoko had when he caught her touching her lips.

"No such idea came across my mind if I may say so…"

"Lucky you… Life must be pretty good…." Kahoko smile enviously at Len.

Blushing, Len looked away, _Why does she have such effect on me? Why?_

_Maybe its because you find her attractive?_

_NO!_

_Why not? She is adorable… Where can you find a girl with scarlet hair like her's? and golden eyes to boot!_

_I don't go for looks alone, you know!_

_Ha! Can you say that with Yuka? You liked her back then because she looked….what's that word? 'Adorable'? right?_

_No… I did not like her because she's that! She was kind and sweet… She was the first one who ever opened me up…_

_Cut me that crap! You're all ice and no snow… Where the hell do you get such ideas that you can be human?_

_For your information, I'm human; I just don't go showing out my real emotions…_

_So much for being human…_

_Yeah---_

"Tsukimori-kun?" Kahoko's voice drifted in his ears.

"Yes?" Len answered, startled by her voice.

"Have you ever thought of having life outside the path we've taken in college?" Kahoko smiled sadly at Len.

"You mean choosing a different course? Other than architecture?" Len asked bemusedly.

*(That answers all the weird stuff I was talking about… I wanted to talk about things that I can easily relate to… I'm an architecture student by the way…. In my 5th year… Architecture has 5 years… That was long…)

"Yeah… I mean, you like music and you obviously got some talent in that field…" Kahoko spoke seriously at Len.

"You're good at music too… How come you decided on architecture?" Len bounced the question back at Kahoko.

"Oh, I don't know… I suppose I haven't got anywhere to go… My mom didn't want me to be a teacher.. My older brother Kai didn't want me to go on Mass Communications since I might ruin his well established reputation… And I might kill my patients if I went for Nursing…" Kahoko laughed at her last statement.

"I don't think you'd kill anyone…" Len said softly, but instantly regretting it when he saw Kahoko's blushing face.

"Look at that, we're at your place already, see you tomorrow. Bye" Len spoke abruptly and walked away.

Leaving Kahoko standing in front of their house as he walked away, Len's brows furrowed with confusion.

_Why did I have to say something stupid like that? I should've bit my tongue!_

_You could, but you hadn't! Ha!_

_Oh shut up!_

_Suave. Real suave Mr. Ice Prince!_

_Oh cut me the crap!_

_Start praying that she doesn't recall that statement, Mr. Ice Prince, or you won't have any face to show your pretty miss tomorrow!_

_If my memory serves me right, Kahoko Hino forgets anything._

_You wish!_

Heading home, Len went upstairs to his room avoiding his mother who just won't stop pestering him about school and about his girl classmates.

"_I don't think you'd kill anyone…"_ "What was I thinking saying that to her?!?" Len punched the wall.

Sighing with the pain cursing through his right fist, he laid down in bed, unable to erase thoughts about Kahoko Hino from his mind.

"I just wish I was that lucky fool whom you gave your heart to…" Len mumbled before drifting off to sleep.

**End of Flashback**

* * *

Sighing as he remembered the fiasco, Len gazed once more at Kahoko before opting to fix his stuff, _Nothing good comes out of just staring at someone you know…_ Len grinned inwardly at her mother's words.

_Nothing ever did, mother…._

* * *

* * *

Sighing, Kahoko gazed at her side of the window again.

"Kaho-chan, let's go out now for lunch!" Mio called out at her as she unpacked her stuff.

"Sure!" Kahoko smiled at her friend.

"Can't you believe the semester's almost through? Before we know it, we're graduating already! I can't believe it! I'm almost free from all the stress drawing brought upon me..!" Nao looked cheerily at Kahoko, Mio, Len, Fuyuumi and Keiichi.

"I'll miss school… Especially since I'm almost always absent…" Fuyuumi shyly looked at Nao and turned her gaze at the school turret.

"Me too… School always felt like home to me…" Keiichi spoke less sleepily.

Kahoko looked at both Nao and Mio speculatively, noting the sudden blush sweeping in Fuyuumi's cheeks.

"What do you plan to do after we graduate? Tsukimori-kun?" Kahoko turned her eyes unto him.

"What students like us in this field studied for. Be an architect." Len answered simply.

"Such a kill joy, Tsukimori-kun!" Mio stuck out her tongue at him.

"But he's right, Mio-chan…" Nao piped up, frowning at her friend's sudden gesture.

"Its best if we hone our craft… We decided on this stuff, that why we should push through… If you hadn't wanted to be an architect someday, you could've chosen a more different path, now have you?" Nao scolded Mio sternly.

"I mean, you've had plenty of choices when we were in the General Education program, but you hadn't… So you haven't anyone to blame for your misfortune…"

"I know, I know!" Mio sighed exasperatedly at Nao as she slumped down in the grass, "But who'd have thought that I'd end up with more worry than smiles…"

Everyone laughed except Len as Mio made faces everytime she arrived hurriedly to pass their plates.

"Look at those guys… Just playing music all day long… I envy them…" Mio looked on as students from the Music Department passed them by, talking about Bach as their next lesson.

"How would you know that they have it easy? Have you tried playing any instrument…?" Nao asked as she took a bite out of her lasagna.

"No… But it sure looks easy…" sighing, Mio also took a bite out of her lunch, spaghetti with meatballs.

"Don't wish for anything you seem to think looks easy…" Len finally spoke up, "life is complicated… Just be glad you're halfway up and not halfway down…"

"I haven't thought about it that way…" Mio looked down at her food queasily at what Len said.

"Don't worry, Mio-chan… We're still young! We've got plenty of time to do stuff!" Kahoko hugged Mio cheerily. "Its not the end of the world, you know!"

"I suppose you guys are right…"

Laughing, everyone returned to their lunches with the usual talk of structures.

* * *

* * *

"Oi! Hihara!" a boy called out to a green-haired guy who was busy rendering his plate's front page.

"Yo!" Kazuki looked up at his friend and gave him a thumbs-up sign.

"Looking good, man!" the boy named Takiro gave Kazuki a sharp slap on the back as he whistled in admiration.

"Thanks, Taki…" Kazuki grinned sheepishly, and as Takiro moved to Kazuki's side, Kazuki saw Kahoko enter the room along with Mio, Nao, Fuuyumi, Keiichi and Len.

Looking down, Kazuki watched under his eyelashes as Kahoko laughed and dumped her bag under her drawing board. He watched as she hugged Mio and Nao and giggle at the joke they just let out.

"Stop it, Nao!" Kahoko giggled once more as she clutched her stomach. Kazuki's ears perked up once more as he listened to Kahoko's musical laughter.

"Hihara—" a distant voice called out to Kazuki as he continued watching Kahoko in the distance.

_I wish…._ Kazuki sighed as he watched Kahoko, not hearing Takiro calling him.

"Yo! Hihara!" Takiro shouted loud enough for Kazuki to hear him.

"Oh… Yeah?" Kazuki suddenly looked up at his friend quizzically.

"You were spacing out…" Takiro scratched his head as Kazuki cleared his.

"Sorry…"

"No problem… Just don't forget our dance practice for the competition later, okay?" Takiro smiled understandingly down at him, "don't want you spacing out or he'll have our necks." Takiro made a slicing head motion, pointing out at their dance instructor, Dari.

"I promise." Kazuki grinned with him as Taki went back to his table to draw.

Left alone now, Kazuki looked down at his drawings but not really seeing it.

* * *

* * *

**Kazuki's POV**

_Its weird that I haven't noticed her till now. _Kazuki remembered yesterday's practice at the 3rd floor of the GV Building of their campus.

He recalled the many girls peering into the room to catch a glimpse of their dance instructor, Dari, who was not only insanely talented but also very handsome. He watched as some of his girl classmates shrieked and giggled as they watched Dari show off the moves he wanted his dancers to dance, and he caught sight of Kahoko among the throng, the only difference was that she wasn't among the many girls waiting for Dari. She was there waiting Mio who was among the throng. He watched as Kahoko fiddled with the straw of her drink while texting someone with her phone.

_Its not like I was watching her the whole time…_ Kazuki justified to himself as he now watched Kahoko walking towards Len's table, clutching her tri-scale nervously. The site of her trembling hands made Kazuki smile inwardly.

_I could get to know her more…_ He saw Kahoko give a sigh of relief as Len taught her the right conversion of measurements in the scale.

_Or I could just pretend that she doesn't exist in my world and just move on…_

* * *

* * *

"Kaho-chan!" someone called out as Kahoko was walking home.

"Mio-chan! Nao-chan!" Kahoko looked up in surprise as she her two best friend's clutching a shake and hand one to her.

"Thanks…" Kahoko smiled as she sipped some while walking home with them.

"Kaho-chan, have you ever seen Tsukimori-kun in a different way?" Mio asked suddenly at her as they walked.

"Pardon?" Kahoko nearly choked on her drink at the question.

"Don't mind her, Kaho-chan… She's just being silly again…. Thinking that you and Tsukimori-kun are having something under our noses…" Nao shrugged as she scooped some pearl sweets in her shake.

"What are you talking about??" Kahoko looked bewilderedly at both of them.

"You know, you two get to walk home often and you hand out a lot… He helps you with stuff for our plate… And you're the only one he calls without his scary tone of a voice…" Mio argued reasonably.

"There's nothing to it!" Kahoko retorted at her friend.

"Are you sure?" both Mio and Nao asked.

"Remember, you used to have a crush on him, before Tsuchiura-kun entered the picture…" Nao reminded.

"You forgot, I 'USED' to… Which means I don't anymore…"

"But, now that Tsuchiura-kun is out of the picture, do you think your feelings will return?" Mio asked timidly, sensing the sensitivity of the topic to Kahoko.

"I don't know… Tsukimori-kun is the past after all…" Kahoko smiled sadly down at her shake and remembered the way she and Len were before Ryoutaro entered the picture.

_I used to be very smitten with my feelings for Tsukimori-kun… Ryoutaro changed everything in that 2 weeks we got to know each other…_

"I'm sure things will change…" Nao patted Kahoko's hand consolably, knowing that she's thinking of Ryoutaro.

"Will it?" Kahoko looked at her friend before they parted.

* * *

* * *

**Kahoko's POV**

"Will it?" Kahoko asked herself as she lay in bed that night.

She can't help but think about the confusion she now felt inside her.

_I used to like Tsukimori-kun… But now….?_

She remembered the way she blushed everytime Len would come near her to help her. And now? She hardly batted an eyelash when he calls her and asks her some stuff.

_Its strange how many things change in a span of a year… I haven't unraveled things yet, and suddenly, it a new year again…_

Unable to sleep, Kahoko pulled a pillow close to her and hugged it tightly as she felt the cold stealing into her.

_I can't believe things happened so fast… And it still is… I'm not getting any wiser, but I'm also not getting more naïve…_

She recalls the many things she shared with Len despite the fact that they are just good friends, and she recalls the many sweet memories Ryoutaro gave her in the short time they shared.

_Tsukimori-kun made me smile with each small thing he shares to me… He's fun to be around despite being so cold and distant… And Mio is right, he calls me without an ounce of coldness…_

_But…_

_Ryoutaro-kun… He made me smile a lot with his sweetness… He made me feel wanted like no one did… He loved me and needed me so much… He shared with me his world…_

_But…._

_Its over… Both of them are over… Tsukimori-kun and I were meant to be just friends… As for Ryoutaro-kun, we're not meant to be together. He's right after all, I am too young for him…_

_Like he always says, I'm too naïve…_

With these thoughts drifting in and out of Kahoko's head, she fell asleep, not before a thought occurred to her.

_I'm moving on…_

* * *

* * *

"Okay, I'm giving you this new phone… I want you to take good care of it, okay? Its my company phone and I'll be paying for it if it get's damaged by you!" Kai ended with a mean undertone as he handed Kahoko his black and silver Nokia 3070.

"Thank you, onii-chan!" Kahoko couldn't help but wipe off the grin from her face as she started taking her pictures.

"Careful now!" Kai warned as he watched Kahoko clicking away in different poses.

"Don't worry, its in good hands!" Kahoko smiled both for the camera and her brother.

"Seesh!" Kai gave up and left Kahoko's room as she clicked away on the phone.

* * *

* * *

"I can't believe your brother gave you his phone!" Mio squealed as she gazed at Kahoko's phone with envy.

Already designed with stickers by Kahoko, her phone ended up more accessorized than when it was with her brother.

"He said I should take care of it since its his company phone… If I break it, he pays…" she handed Mio her phone for inspection.

"This is so cool! My brother never gives me anything!" Mio's voice hinted enviously as a picture of both Kahoko and her brother Kai flashed on the phone's screen as its screensaver.

"Gosh! Your brother really is cute!" both Mio and Nao took a more closer look at their picture. Kahoko was wearing a rose colored blouse with her hair up, and Kai in a light-blue polo shirt, clashing with his scarlet hair as Kahoko leaned at him.

"The two of you look good together…" Nao commented, whistling in admiration.

"They're supposed to since they're siblings…" a scathing remark suddenly came up from behind them.

"Tsukimori-kun!" Kahoko suddenly stood up as she saw her cerulean-haired friend enter.

"What I meant to say is that Kahoko has never looked this pretty with any other guy!" Nao retorted.

"Nao-chan!" Kahoko snapped at her friend's rude attitude.

"Let me see…" Len took a look at Kahoko's phone and hid his frown.

"You are right, they look good together… My apologies…" Len bowed low and took his seat just opposite Kahoko.

"Ha! Told you so!" Nao answered triumphantly.

"Nao-chan!" Kahoko glowered at Nao and took her seat, giving Len's profile a quick view just as they're professor entered, announcing the lesson.

"Today, we'll talk about TND…"

* * *

* * *

**Len's POV**

As Len busied himself jotting down the notes their ancient professor has written down, he couldn't help but recall the incident that occurred.

"Gosh! Your brother is really cute!" Len heard Mio comment as he entered the room.

Walking closer to the source of Mio's comment, he heard Nao's sudden remark.

"The two of you look good together…"

With that, Len decided to butt in, but he didn't know why he felt like asking Nao to take back what she just said. He felt angry and upset.

And when he looked at the picture in Kahoko's phone, Nao is right. Kahoko hasn't looked that pretty with anyone else.

_Why does it affect me so much??_

_Maybe its because you're admitting to yourself that you really like her!_

_Nonsense!_

_Oh now you think I'm joking?_

_Of course I am!_

_But you felt upset now, did you?_

_NO!_

_Liar!_

_Am not!_

_Then why can't you just admit to yourself that you felt that way was because you really like her. And that no matter what you do, its her you're thinking about. Just some food for thought!_

* * *

* * *

**Alright!!!! Yeah!!! I managed to finish chapter 3… whooh!! Okay, the next chapter will be set after a year from this one, okay??? Its just that the story will be toooooo long if I did it in a normal day after day after day sequence…. Thank you for the reviews!!! Next chappie…. SOON!**


	4. Chapter 3: Under the Umbrella

**Author's Note:** I do not own La Corda D'oro, but my story plot is original.

**Chapter 3: Under the Umbrella**

"Gosh… I'm going to be late!" Kahoko whispered to herself as she checked and rechecked her watch and phone. She agreed to help her friend Eri prepare for the dance contest for the schools foundation day and she's now hurrying.

_To cap it off, its raining hard…._

Sighing as she endured the heavy traffic and rain, Kahoko peered outside the car's window and saw Kazuki making a run for the very same car she was on.

Watching Kazuki as he made a mad grab for the car handle, she gazed wonderingly as he went inside, hair all drenched and clothes a bit soggy.

"Hihara-kun!" Kahoko greeted as he sat down opposite her.

"Oi, Hino-chan…." Kazuki smiled guiltily at her as he wiped his hair with his handkerchief.

"You don't have any umbrella? Isn't it your dance contest today? You'll get sick!" Kahoko barraged him with questions.

"I don't carry umbrellas…." Kazuki trailed off as he gazed at his foot.

"Oh…. Sorry then…"

"Got your make-up, Hino-chan?" Erika smiled warmly at Kahoko as she saw her enter the room, with Kazuki behind her holding a wet umbrella.

"Yup… Here it is Torii-chan.." Kahoko held out a small pink to her friend and then face Kazuki.

"Thanks for holding out my umbrella…" Kahoko smiled gratefully up at Kazuki, not noticing the blush spreading out to his cheeks.

"N-no p-pro-problem…" Kazuki stuttered as he handed back Kahoko's umbrella.

"You should dry out your clothes before the last rehearsal, Hihara-kun… You'll get sick with your damp clothes…" Erika called out from the room's corner as she applied a light blue eyeshadow on her face.

Laughing, Kahoko looked up at Kazuki and nodded off at the restroom, "you better go.."

"Right…" Kazuki sprinted off, his wet clothes dripping water on the waxed floor.

**Kazuki's POV**

_That was weird.._

Kazuki looked at himself on the restroom's mirror as he changed clothes.

_I've never felt that way before….._

Frowning, Kazuki recalled the walk he and Kahoko just had on the way to school.

_It felt so surreal._

He continually gazed at himself as he recalled the things that occurred minutes ago.

**Flashback**

"Here, let me hold out that umbrella for you…" Kazuki extended an arm as Kahoko pushed open her blue umbrella as soon as they got down from the car.

"No, its okay.. " Kahoko shook her head as she propped the umbrella to cover both of them.

"I insist." Kazuki shook his head too as he gently prised Kahoko's hands from her hands.

"Oh… Okay…" Kahoko smiled shyly as she willingly gave her umbrella to Kazuki, not noticing the sudden blush that spread on her cheeks.

Almost losing his balance with the blush, Kazuki quickly regained his composure by commenting on the slippery floor.

Giggling at his comment, Kahoko bowed low to watch her step, not knowing that Kazuki was watching her.

Kazuki gazed rather curiously at Kahoko. She was always shrouded in mystery. She was smart yet very humble. Friendly yet weirdly enough, she wasn't popular in school. Extremely pretty but invisible.

_Naïve yet still sweet…._

"We're here!" Kahoko's voice ringed like bells, cutting through Kazuki's thoughts.

"Yeah, I guess so…"

**End of Flashback**

_ 

**Alright! Yeah! I managed to finish chapter 3… whooh! Okay, I know it's a bit too short, but its really my intention 'cause the next chappie is long, to compensate for this chappie.. The next chapter will be set after a year from this one, okay? Its just that the story will be toooooo long if I did it in a normal day after day after day sequence…. Thank you for the reviews! Next chappie…. SOON!**


	5. Chapter 4: The Sunshine in the Pain

**Author's Note:** I do not own La Corda D'oro, but my story plot is original.

**Chapter 4: The Sunshine in the Pain**

"I can't believe we landed in the same apprentice job! This is so cool!" Mio twirled in their steps on the way home.

"Me too…. But then again, I didn't have a doubt you'd be the one Arch. Jiu Arijime would pick," Kahoko joined Mio in her celebratory twirl.

"Gosh… I can't wait to tell Ryou-" but Kahoko stopped abruptly when she saw look of disbelief etched on Mio's face.

"Maybe not….." Kahoko looked away from Mio as she said to herself, _Maybe I will_.

"Kaho-chan….. The two of you broke up like almost 3 years ago! Are the two of you together again?" Mio asked suspiciously as Kahoko looked up at the clouds.

"Not really…." Kahoko tried to keep her voice evenly to avoid Mio getting even more suspicious.

"I hope you're telling the truth…." Mio paused, "for your sake."

"I am, I swear…" Kahoko smiled warmly at her friend.

_I know you mean well, Mio-chan…. But till now, I still love Ryou-kun…._

_

* * *

_

"Tell me again, you need what?" Kazuki played with his pens as he balanced his phone on his left shoulder.

"I need to borrow your 3D Max CD…." Len grunted on the other end of the phone, unable to keep his patience anymore.

Laughing, Kazuki stood up and fumbled with the many CD cases on his cabinet, taking out a gleaming gold case from the bottom pile.

"Just kidding with you, Len…" Kazuki sat back down again and placed the CD in his bag.

"Its nice to know that the only person who has the copy of such CD needed for our Planning project decides to play a joke on me…" Len retorted drily.

"Come on…. Its just one joke…" Kazuki can't help but give a wide grin as he saw his reflection on the opposite mirror.

"Okay then… I'll get it tomorrow morning after our Mechanics class… You're lucky that you and Hino-chan are good friends, otherwise, I would've hit you on the head for that stupid joke…" Len gripped his phone too tightly as he mentioned Kahoko's name.

_It sounds weird yet very sweet._

"Yeah yeah… You always tell me that.. She's not my keeper, you know?" Kazuki flushed as he heard Kahoko's name.

"But I daresay she's the only one who can make you bite your tongue?" Len's voice held out triumphantly.

"Not really…" trying to sound nonchalant, Kazuki bent over the piece of paper he was working on.

"Whatever….. Tomorrow then…." Len bid Kazuki.

_

* * *

**Len's POV**

Dropping the phone on his couch, Len ran a cold hand through his cerulean hair.

_Its been weeks now…_

Len closed his eyes and recalled the incident that occurred over the end of the semester, just before the start of their apprenticeship.

**FLASHBACK**

"I'm sorry Hino-chan… Looks like your professor in Humanities really dropped you..." Ousaki frowned at Kahoko's two classcards with a bright red circle on the grade 5.

_Oh no…._

Kahoko tried to act unaffected but she can't help but feel the two fat teardrops escaping from her eyes.

"Can I still have my apprenticeship? Will my next semester be affected?" Kahoko looked away from Ousaki – senpai but caught Len's eyes by doing so.

Trying to give Kahoko a comforting smile, Len managed to produce a sort of half grimace at her already tear strain face.

"We'll try to see if we can do something about it… But I suggest you make some extra effort so that the Vice-President can see that you are worthy of the second chance…." Ousaki looked through some sheaf of paper works in front of him and pulled out a folder marked 'For Reconsideration'.

_Is it that bad?_

Kahoko couldn't help but give a note of shiver as she took the papers Ousaki handed her.

"As you can see, the Admin gives second chances to those who really make extra effort to be instilled here in the University." Ousaki gave Kahoko another sheet of paper, "this will serve you as an example in making your reconsideration letter. Just follow some of the format written there and then submit it to me 2 weeks after today."

"Do you think I still have a chance?" Kahoko finally spoke, her mouth dry with the silence she maintained.

"I think you do…" Ousaki gave her a warm smile then patted her on the head.

"You've been a dedicated and wonderful student for 4 years now, Hino – chan and the Vice President would be stupid not to notice it."

"Thank you, Ousaki – senpai.." Kahoko gave a long and deep bow before leaving.

"Are you okay, Hino – chan?" Len's deep voice called out to Kahoko as soon as she stepped out of the office.

"Yeah, I guess I'm okay…" _At least I still have some sort of hope to cling on to._ Kahoko nodded up at Len as she saw the way his brows furrowed in worry.

"Don't think too much about me, Len – kun… You'll have a migraine at that rate…" Kahoko teased Len, not noticing the deep shade of scarlet Len turned into, before turning around and smiling at the newly arrived Kazuki.

"How was it?" Kazuki hitched his backpack on his shoulder, not noticing Len's color too.

"Still have some hope…" Kahoko tried to sound evenly for Kazuki's sake.

"Yeah! That's good! Why not celebrate?" Kazuki gave Kahoko a broad grin.

"No can do, Hihara – kun… I've got to get home and finish the project Arch. Arijime asked me to do…" Kahoko checked her watch which showed 4:45 on its face.

"You've already got work?" Kazuki looked bemusedly at the sudden harried look upon Kahoko's face.

"Yep… Keeps my mind of my own problems… Maybe we can celebrate some other day, okay?" Kahoko apologized to Kazuki.

_Dying, dying to wake up without you… without you in my head again…._

_Dying, dying to forget about you… that you ever lived…_

Finally catching to the present, Len looked around for the source of the voice that suddenly sang.

"Sorry guys… That's my fone…" Kahoko blushed suddenly, knowing whose special ringtone she made it for.

"Hey, didn't notice you were here…" Kazuki looked quizzically at Len.

"Me too…" Len retorted drily.

"Who was that, Hino – chan..?" Len suddenly enquired of Kahoko.

"Who was what?" Kahoko's cheeks still bright red.

"The voice that sang, duh…." Len replied. _How dense can you get?_

"Oh... That was me…" Kahoko's fone suddenly ringing again.

"You?" Kazuki looked at her blankly.

"Yeah, its me…" she mouthed back at Kazuki before sprinting off to talk to the fone's caller.

But Len caught the person's name before Kahoko had time to run off.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

_Ryoutaro Tsuchiura…_ _When will you ever leave the picture?_

Len's gaze stilled at the red bird perched on his window sill.

_Its been years since you left, and now, you're trying to win Kahoko back. Damn you! You just won't stop at ruining the only girl I love!_

Angrily fidgeting now, Len paced inside his room.

_Three years! Three years that you've cause Kahoko so much pain by letting her hang on to your promise! She changed because she wanted to forget you! She changed because she wanted to leave the past you so desperately filled. And now…._

Len growled fraustratedly at the wall opposite him.

_Now you want to take back what you left behind.. Just when she's all fixed and healing…. Damn you!_

**

* * *

**

**Kazuki's POV**

"_Okay then… I'll get it tomorrow morning after our Mechanics class… You're lucky that you and Hino-chan are good friends, otherwise, I would've hit you on the head for that stupid joke…"_

"_Yeah yeah… You always tell me that.. She's not my keeper, you know_

"_But I daresay she's the only one who can make you bite your tongue?" _

"_Not really…" _

Gazing emptily at the piece of paper he was supposed to be doing his designs on, Kazuki couldn't help but feel the fraustration at the truth Len spoke of minutes ago.

"_But I daresay she's the only one who can make you bite your tongue?" _

Pushing back the reclining chair he was sitting on, Kazuki stared emptily again at the ceiling he knew was made up of cement, metal bracings and wood.

"He's always been frank… But I don't know just how much he knows about what I feel for Kahoko…" Kazuki smiled sadly.

"Kahoko…" he repeated her name once more, cherishing the sound of her name on his mouth.

_She's driven me to be the best I can possibly be… More if so… She's so wonderful… Yet, so unobtainable…_

Scratching his head, he remembers watching in the sidelines as she fell for Tenjou Soushi, their friend Shimizu Keiichi's cousin.

**FLASHBACK**

"He's really cute, Hino – chan…" Mio and Nao giggled after watching Kahoko talk to a guy with midnight black hair and dimpled cheeks.

"Isn't he just adorable?" was all Kahoko could say in response to every question thrown at her by her friends.

"I think he needs to have his hair cut if you ask me…" Kazuki glanced annoyingly at the guy Kahoko felt starry-eyed for.

"Hark who's talking…." Nao suggested slyly, digging at Kazuki's growing locks.

Laughing, Kahoko blushed as she gazed once more at Shimizu's cousin.

"He's really something, you know…." She spoke softly, looking at her skirt pleats.

"Something….?" Kazuki couldn't help but ask.

"I used to date this guy…. And all he did was-"

Suddenly feeling tense, Kahoko stopped midway.

"Shimizu's cousin must be a whole lot world wonderful if you can't even finish your sentence about your ex…" Len suddenly materialized out of nowhere, casting a scathing look at Shimizu's cousin before disappearing.

"I know what you mean by that note, Shimizu…" walking towards Kahoko and the others, Shimizu and his cousin continued their conversation about music.

"But I'm still wondering what difference it can make if I used another note instead of the original one…." Shimizu asked his cousin in the same sleepy manner.

Grinning, his cousin slapped his back playfully, "who knows…."

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Kazuki remembered well what happened a month after Kahoko and Tenjou's first meeting. Kahoko fell hopelessly in love with him.

_But I don't blame her… A lot of the girls in our school also fell for him… With his good looks and funny and approachable aura, anyone would fall for him…_

Kazuki shook his head, trying to erase the sudden distaste he felt for the weeks that followed, but failed. As bright as the sunset, he recalled how Kahoko did almost everything to catch Tenjou's eye, almost succeeding, had it not been for Tenjou's sudden dismissal from the school.

_I don't know why I hadn't done anything to be the one who catched Kahoko's eye… It should be me who's out there, holding her hands…_

_Maybe… Maybe if I go out with other girls, I can forget about Kahoko…_

"What if you don't?" Kazuki muttered to himself as he laid his head on the table.

* * *

"Don't tell me you're jealous again?" Kahoko bit out exasperatedly as she fiddled with her drink.

"You keep on telling me there's nothing going on between the two of you! But why do you keep on hanging out with him?" Ryoutaro's tone also took a rough note.

"Why shouldn't we? We are friends, Ryou – kun!" Kahoko rolled her eyes with frustration.

"Friends? FRIENDS? I'll repeat what you texted me, if its okay?" Ryoutaro's eyes blazed with irritation at Kahoko's hard headedness.

"_He makes me smile when you're too busy… he makes me laugh when I miss you a lot… You know, he sings out of the blue and I noticed he does it when I look down and out… He always has time for me when I need someone to talk to…. He's been there for me a lot of times where you weren't… I think he like me… And I think I'm falling for his sweet nature…."  
_

Ryoutaro spoke every word through clenched teeth, looking at Kahoko from time to time and noticing how her pale skin flushed.

"If you like him so much, why don't you go out with him?" Ryoutaro stood up and walked away from Kahoko's stunned figure.

Watching Ryoutaro depart, Kahoko remained sitting on her chair, _Go out with him? He doesn't even know how I truly feel for him…_

* * *

"We broke up again…" Kahoko faced Mio as they walked to the cafeteria.

"Serves you right for not taking my advice!" Mio scowled at her.

"I know, I know… I guess I told him to much…" Kahoko touched her forehead, feeling a fever coming on.

"Huh?"

"I told Ryou – kun about Hihara – kun" whispering this at Mio as she swung her gaze at Kazuki's thoughtful face.

"What about Hihara – kun?" Mio looked surprised at her friend.

"I told Ryou that I'm falling for Hihara – kun.."

"You what?" Mio hissed at Kahoko.

"Shhh…! I know, I know…. Its wrong…." Kahoko sighed as she slumped her face forward.

"You've gotten yourself again in a sticky situation…." Mio looked deploringly at her.

"What if Tsuchiura – kun suddenly appeared out of nowhere and punched Hihara – kun suddenly? How do you explain that?"

"I know!" Kahoko heaved a big sigh before casting another quick look at Kazuki.

"I never really thought Ryou – kun would take it like that…. I just wanted him to have some more time with me… That's all… Not that stupid work of his…."

"You can't blame the guy… If it were me, I would most definitely blow my top…" Mio took out her lunch.

"I don't know…." Kahoko also took out her lunch.

"What's up with your faces, girls?" Kazuki suddenly appeared on view, hands ladled with the lunch he just bought at the cafeteria.

"You two look like you need a dosage of happy pill….." Len dryly retorted as he watched Kahoko turn red.

"Its nothing you two should know about!" Mio snapped at them.

"Someone's grouchy today…" Kazuki grinned at Kahoko.

Looking away, Kahoko saw the look of surprise Kazuki gave.

Sitting down next to her, Kazuki couldn't help but feel dread settling in.

"Sorry Hihara – kun…." Kahoko whispered, intended only for Kazuki's ears.

"Its okay… Rough day, eih?" Kazuki slightly picking up with Kahoko's apology.

"A bit…"

* * *

**Kazuki's POV**

_Should I say something comforting?_

Kazuki momentarily gazed at Kahoko's sleeping figure at their 3 hour break.

_What if she doesn't want any advice? Looks like a guy problem to me…_

Sighing, he wanted to reach out to Kahoko so badly it seemed to turn his insides raw.

_Beautiful girls, all over the world._

_I could be chasin' but my time would be wasted._

_They've got nothin' on you baby…_

_Nothin' on you baby.._

_They might say "hi"…_

_And I might say "hey"…._

_But you shouldn't worry, about what they say…_

'_Cause they've got nothin' on you baby…_

_Nothin' on you baby…_

Kazuki suddenly sang out as he too laid his head down and gazed out at the open window in his side.

_I guess my promise of going out with other girls…. Isn't coming true after all…_

__

_

* * *

**Kahoko's POV**

Feigning sleep to avoid more awkward questions, Kahoko laid still, eyes closed.

Feeling Kazuki hovering near her, she shut her eyes even more tightly.

Suddenly, she heard Kazuki's melodious voice sing.

_Beautiful girls, all over the world._

_I could be chasin' but my time would be wasted._

_They've got nothin' on you baby…_

_Nothin' on you baby.._

_They might say "hi"…_

_And I might say "hey"…._

_But you shouldn't worry, about what they say…_

'_Cause they've got nothin' on you baby…_

_Nothin' on you baby…_

Unable to take it anymore, Kahoko felt two hot tears drop from her eyes. Shutting it even more tightly, Kahoko couldn't help but feel her heart swell at Kazuki's 6th sense when it came to her feelings.

_Why does he have to be like this? He's so sweet and sensitive… Am I really falling for him?_

Kahoko bit her lips, thankful that her face is facing a thick solid wall so no one can see her pained face.

"_If you like him so much, why don't you go out with him?"_

Ryoutaro's last words haunted her as Kahoko listened in on Kazuki's voice.

_It would make me really happy to be with Kazuki... But it would break my heart to hurt Ryoutaro – kun… WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?_

**

* * *

**

**Len's POV**

Watching Kahoko as she pretended to sleep, Len sighed.

_She's doing it again…_

He noticed how Kahoko would pretend to sleep whenever she's heartbroken.

_So predictable…_

Returning to his reading, his concentration was suddenly lost when he heard Kazuki sing.

_Beautiful girls, all over the world._

_I could be chasin' but my time would be wasted._

_They've got nothin' on you baby…_

_Nothin' on you baby.._

_They might say "hi"…_

_And I might say "hey"…._

_But you shouldn't worry, about what they say…_

'_Cause they've got nothin' on you baby…_

_Nothin' on you baby…_

Shaking his head, Len returned to his reading, but soon stopped again.

Raising his head towards Kazuki, then at Kahoko, comprehension suddenly dawned upon him.

_Don't tell me? NO!_

Len snapped his book shut and stood up. Walking out of the room, Len's brows furrowed even more.

_Don't tell me Hihara has feelings for Hino?_

_But it can't be! If I recall quite correctly, Hino's gone back to his Tsuchiura's arms…_

_But….?_

Len couldn't help but let the sentence dangle. He didn't want to pry into other people's problems.

_But, its as good as your problem is it?_

_Not really…_

_Oh yeah?_

_Yes._

_Then tell me if I'm mistaken… You yourself are in love with Hino? Aren't you?_

Len couldn't help but feel the frustration building up inside him. He really is in love with Kahoko after all.

**

* * *

**

**Ryoutaro's POV**

_Darn it! I shouldn't have lost my cool!_

Ryoutaro lazily kicked an empty bottle of beer as he paced outside their house.

He felt so many mixed emotions that it was making his head ache just thinking about it.

_Am I about to lose Kahoko too?_

Leaning his back on the wall, Ryoutaro recalled the manner he got back together with Kahoko. It wasn't really sweet and romantic at the very least.

_No thanks to my ex-girlfrirend._

Ryoutaro smiled sardonically as he remembered his ex Isho Tsuire. The way she tried to shred Kahoko's dignity by calling her names and embarrassing her in public. In the end, it was Isho who was embarrassed when Kahoko finally snapped at her and called her "dimwit".

_I didn't know Kahoko had it in her, to call someone dimwit with such audacity and authority in that manner. I always thought she was shy and soft-spoken. I guess some people are different from what you are expecting…_

Sighing, Ryoutaro shook his head.

_What made me so angry at Kahoko like that?_

He remembered what Kahoko texted him then…

"_He makes me smile when you're too busy… he makes me laugh when I miss you a lot… You know, he sings out of the blue and I noticed he does it when I look down and out… He always has time for me when I need someone to talk to…. He's been there for me a lot of times where you weren't… I think he likes me… And I think, I'm falling for his sweet nature…."_

Thinking back, he was greatly offended by what she told him. Sure, he was busy with work, but it was all for her. Isn't that what he should be doing? Providing her with a comfortable future?

_And where was Kahoko?_

He didn't want to think that she was out there at school prancing with this Kazuki – guy. Was she even thinking of him when she was at school?

_Maybe she's courting the idea of getting it on with this Kazuki?_

No, he didn't want to think that she was being unfaithful. She did swear to him that she was only his.

_But the two of you hadn't seen each other for more than two years… Who's to say that she might've even dated this guy once?_

Ruffling his sweating head, Ryoutaro knew the real Kahoko. She isn't a two-timer and she never will be. She's always been the honest one. God knows how special she is.

_There you go! She's SPECIAL! If she's special to you? Do you really think no one else would've noticed that by now?_

Shaking his nasty thoughts away, Ryoutaro took out his phone and opened it.

"She would never ever try to hurt anyone…. I know she loves me very much… I just overreacted…" he spoke to Kahoko's smiling face plastered on his phone.

"Never…"

**

* * *

So it's a bit of a killjoy… hahhaha… it's a bit long isn't it? I haven't been on my writing mood lately because my little baby's been such a bugger… I can't seem to stop attaching my lips to her cheeks… As a mom, I'm definitely the spoiler type… I just adore her… anyway, expect the next chappie quite far from now…. I don't know how I want to reveal the twists and turns in my story without revealing THE twists and turns.. (so funny..) anyway, catch me in GaiaOnline guys! Also FacebooK!**


	6. Chapter 5: A gift of Love and Hate

**Author's Note:** I know its been a LONG time since I last updated, so my apologies for that. I've been very busy with my daughter lately. And I've been stir-crazy photographing each and every one of that adorable smile and her giggles that why I've been sidetracked from my passion of writing. I'm really, really sorry! Gomen!

To **Shadow Kitsune67**: thank you so much for your review! I really am very much in tears with your review… It made me feel so happy and inspired.. Don't worry, I'll be updating soon… I promise I won't disappoint any of you..

I do not own La Corda D'oro, but my story plot is original.

**Chapter 5: A gift of Love and Hate**

"Mom…" Kahoko sweated as she watched her mother wash the afternoon dishes.

"Yes, Kaho – dear?" her mother smiled dearly at her youngest daughter.

"I'm kind of-"

* * *

"You're telling me she went out with you?" hooting with laughter, the man slammed his drink on the table.

"Yes… Imagine how naïve she is…" twisting his purple hair around his finger, Azuma Yunoki smirked as he watched his older cousin laugh.

"I knew she'd be weak for you…" Azuma's cousin Atsu raised a congratulatory hand towards his cousin.

"Congratulations aren't in order yet," Azuma cut his cousin curtly.

_She may just be on the verge of ruining my plan._

_

* * *

_

"Tell me again? You're WHAAATT?" Mio looked bewilderedly at Kahoko's tear-stained face, Nao shook her head with disbelief at the sudden news.

Nodding, Kahoko looked away as both Kazuki and Len entered.

"Come here!" Mio pulled Kahoko just as Kazuki and Len was about to approach them.

Closing the door behind them firmly, Mio looked intently at Kahoko's face, looking for any sign of "no" in it.

"His name is Azuma Yunoki…." Kahoko broke quietly at Mio's probing gaze.

"I can't believe this happened!" Mio pulled her close with anger and disgust.

"First it was Tsuchiura! Now its that Yunoki!"

_Sorry…._

_

* * *

_

**Kahoko's POV**

_How am I supposed to get out of this? _

Kahoko kept on sighing as she listened in on the lectures, letting her gaze wonder away from the whiteboard and through the open window of their room.

_Mom already reacted hysterically when I told her, how am I supposed to handle this much pressure?_

**FLASHBACK**

"You what?-" Kahoko's mother nearly shattered the plate she was wiping dry as Kahoko broke the news to her.

"But… You're just 20? You haven't even graduated yet!"

"I-uh…"

"Who is he?"

"His name is Azuma Yunoki… I met him through his cousin.."

_Liar! _Kahoko whispered to herself, hoping her mother wouldn't see thru her lies.

"How did you meet?"

"His cousin used to court me.."

_Lie!_

"Kahoko…" her mom's voice suddenly aged in a few minutes, "I'm very disappointed in you…"

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Burying her nearing tear-stained face in what she was writing down, Kahoko's heart ached with the pain she was feeling.

_What am I going to do now? Just when I'm about to graduate!_

Suddenly, she remembered Yunoki's sweet smiling face and cool gestures.

_Damn you!_

_

* * *

_

Walking outside the cool and crisp August afternoon, Kahoko suddenly felt a chill that didn't have anything to do with the weather. Gazing up at the sky, she clutched her bag more tightly.

"So, what should we eat for lunch?" Kazuki bounced with excitement at the prospect of eating after a long day of lecture.

"Anywhere's fine with us." Mio and Nao nodded back at Kazuki and Len, glancing surreptitiously at Kahoko.

"How about you, Hino?" Len walked next to her.

"Anywhere's good with me too…" Kahoko smiled weakly at Len, her gaze turning towards Keiichi and Shouka's sweet holding hands moment.

Avoiding Len's probing gaze, Kahoko had to stop herself from clutching her tummy which is now carrying a 4-month old fetus.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look as if you hadn't eaten…" Len noted Kahoko pale pallor and weak stance.

"Hino…."

"Hey, Hino! Can I open your umbrella? Its really hot now…" Kazuki spoke suddenly, materializing next to Kahoko.

"Sure.." Taking out her blue umbrella, Kahoko was about to open it when Kazuki grabbed it from her and opened it instead.

"Here, I'll shade the two of us…." Kazuki smiled down at Kahoko, noticing the sudden flush on Kahoko's upturned face.

"Uhm… Thanks, Hihara…" looking away, Kahoko bit her lips as realization suddenly hit her,

_She is definitely falling for KAZUKI! _Len nearly shoved his fist up on Kazuki's throat as he watched him grin down at Kahoko.

"What's up with you, Tsukimori?" Mio asked Len, watching flames appear at his usually cold eyes.

"Nothing," Len shrugged noncommittally, but couldn't detract his eyes from Kazuki and Kahoko's shoulder-to-shoulder walk.

"Are you sure?" Nao sidled up to Len and Mio's conversation.

"Pretty sure-" but Len stopped abruptly when he saw Kahoko rummage inside her bag for something. Raising an eyebrow, Len watched Kahoko flush as she held up her phone to see who was calling.

* * *

"Yes…" Kahoko spoke breathlessly, her tone guilty.

"Where are you?" Ryoutaro's voice came out stricken, feeling something constricting his breathing.

"At school… Where do you think should I be?" Kahoko chanced a glance at Kazuki's suddenly stoic profile from under her lashes as they walked.

"Oh.. Okay… I thought-"

"You thought what exactly?" Kahoko snapped at Ryoutaro's implication, her mood changing in a snap.

"Its nothing… I'm sorry… Go have your lunch now…" Ryoutaro's voice echoed his embarrassment.

"Okay… You too, Ryoutaro - kun…" Kahoko coldly retorted.

"I love you, Kaho – chan…" Ryoutaro spitted out but Kahoko hanged up on her.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Kahoko stowed her phone inside her bag again, eager to be rid of Ryoutaro's presence (whatever means it was), and even pretending not to hear his "I love you's" to her.

"What's up with you?" Kazuki brought Kahoko back into the present, trying to sound cheerful and unaffected, and failing.

"Its nothing…" Kahoko too tried sounding like it really is nothing, and also failing.

"If it really was nothing, we're lagging behind from the others…." Kazuki dryly commented as Kahoko swung her head and saw the others hanging back at the corner convenience store, waiting for them.

"I'm sorry.." Blushing, Kahoko walked faster to catch up.

"You don't have to be sorry," Kazuki looked away, controlling his feelings of anger and love from crashing down unto Kahoko's already nervous and stricken state.

_But I still am… Not for the reasons you said…_

_

* * *

_

Standing at the store's parking area, waiting for Kahoko and Kazuki to catch up to them, Len couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as he saw Kahoko blush at Kazuki towering figure next to her.

"They do look so good together…" Shouka commented as the two neared, though not loud enough to be heard by them.

"I know what you mean…" Keiichi's usually sleepy self agreed with his girlfriend.

"You don't have to state it like that…" both Mio and Nao grinned conspiratorially, casting a glance at Len's uptight face, as if knowing something the others don't.

"And what are the two of you smirking about?" Kahoko frowned as they approached the others.

"oh.. Nothing…" smirking even wider, both Mio and Nao flitted off as they continued to walk towards their preferred food booth.

"Ohh-kay…" Kahoko rolled her eyes, forgetting her woes for a moment.

* * *

**Len's POV**

"_Yes…" Kahoko spoke breathlessly, her tone guilty._

"_At school… Where do you think should I be?" Kahoko chanced a glance at Kazuki's suddenly stoic profile from under her lashes as they walked._

"_You thought what exactly?" Kahoko snapped at Ryoutaro's implication._

"_Okay… You too, Ryoutaro - kun…" Kahoko coldly retorted._

Grinding his teeth, Len couldn't help but feel his anger growing. So it was Tsuchiura he was talking to.

_And what's your business with that?_

_Merely stating something of a fact._

'_Stating something of a fact?' What are you now? Something of a predictor?_

_Not really. Just want to shove my fist up that Tsuchiura-guys mouth and show him what a man is supposed to be!_

_And what business is it of yours if he comes calling to your BELOVED Kahoko?_

_None of yours if I'm mistaken!_

Stopping alongside the others as they waited for Kazuki and Kahoko, Len couldn't seem to tear her eyes from Kahoko's seemingly glowing aura.

"Kahoko does seem to be emitting a faint rosy glow isn't she?" Len heard Shouka ask Keiichi, Nao and Mio.

"She's emitting more than that, believe me…" Mio winked at Nao as they turned their gazes once more at the two figures fast approaching.

Concentrating on Kahoko's face, Len watched as she blushed at what Kazuki said to her, as his face lean nearer over her and smile gently and sweetly.

"They do look so good together…" Shouka commented once more as the two neared, though not loud enough to be heard by them.

"I know what you mean…" Keiichi's usually sleepy self agreed with his girlfriend looking far away from what she is pointing.

"You don't have to state it like that…" both Mio and Nao grinned conspiratorially, casting a glance at Len's uptight face, as if knowing something the others don't.

_What the-?_

"And what are the two of you smirking about?" Kahoko frowned as they approached the others.

Snapping back to Kahoko's face, Len watched as Kahoko does seem to emit a glow that he couldn't seem to connect to anything else except-.

"oh.. Nothing…" smirking even wider, both Mio and Nao flitted off as they continued to walk towards their preferred food booth.

Len frowned as he watched Kahoko converse with their friends and back again.

"Ohh-kay…" Kahoko rolled her eyes.

His doubts instilled, Len couldn't help but rake his eyes from Kahoko's head down to his toes.

_Something's amiss here…_

Travelling his eyes once more over Kahoko's slim figure, Len couldn't help but get drawn at her perfect waistline.

_There's nothing down there…_ Len told himself, tearing his gaze away from spot which kept on luring him.

* * *

**Ryoutaro's POV**

Checking his phone for any new messages from Kahoko, Ryoutaro can't help but feel even more disgusted with himself.

**FLASHBACK**

"_Yes…" _Kahoko spoke at the other end of the line as she answered the phone.

"_Where are you?" _trying not to make his voice come out stricken, Ryoutaro couldn't help feeling that something constricting was breathing.

Gazing up at the gathering clouds as he ate his lunch, Ryoutaro couldn't help but feel his nerves tense.

"_At school… Where do you think should I be?" _hearing the note of Kahoko voice, Ryoutaro almost swore out loud at his jealousy.

"_Oh.. Okay… I thought-" _ wanting to steer the conversation into a light-hearted one, he was quickly cut off by Kahoko.

"_You thought what exactly?" _hearing the sudden edge on her voice, Ryoutaro can almost feel Kahoko's patience wearing thin.

_Who wouldn't be when they've got someone like you always misunderstanding them? _Ryoutarou's conscience came out loud and clear.

"_Its nothing… I'm sorry… Go have your lunch now…" _trying to cover up the misunderstanding, Ryoutaro diverted Kahoko's attention..

"_Okay… You too, Ryoutaro - kun…" Kahoko coldly retorted._

"_I love you, Kaho – chan…" Ryoutaro spitted out but Kahoko hanged up on her._

**END OF FLASHBACK**

_Jumping up at bandwagons isn't really your thing…_

_And what do YOU suppose is my 'THING'?_

_Try a little bit more faith on the girl you WANT to marry, will you?_

Realizing his conscience won, Ryoutaro once more checked his phone hopefully. Looking at it with surprise, there is indeed a message, though not from the one he is waiting for.

Hi! How are you Ryoutaro – kun? I missed you a lot. My baby's growing bigger as the days pass by. I do miss you a lot though. I know I've shamed you a lot, especially about what happened between you and my husband. I do hope you can forgive me. I miss you a lot you know. You can say I'm free now. My husband's left me and our kids. If you have some time, we could meet up. Anywhere is fine by me. But I can't be out that long. My kids will be waiting for me. Please text back.

Love lots…

Isho

Shaking his head with disgust, Ryoutaro can't help but read again his ex-girlfriend's text message. After all the embarrassing things she did to Kahoko and him, that's all she want to say? _She MISSES him?_

"What a blithering idiot…" muttering to himself, Ryoutaro kept on shaking off the many things that went on between Isho and him; the many nights they spent cosseted inside some place, stealing kisses and many more.

Pulling his green hair with confusion, Ryoutaro stared helplessly up at the sky, wishing he can decide what to do.

_I still feel something for Isho... But I'm inlove with Kahoko!_

_You can't possibly be inlove with two persons at a time, DUDE! That's being selfish!_

_Well, IT IS possible BECAUSE I feel that way right now!_

_Heck yeah! If I were YOU, I'd be giving Kahoko up to someone better. Admit it; you've never done her any good ever since the two of you met years ago._

_Oh yeah? Since when have I ever done her bad?_

_Okay, you want me to ENUMERATE? One, she was only 18 when you met her. You made her think you love her, and then you broke her heart! Two, you popped up in her Friendster account, asking her things that you know would bring back painful memories, and yet, you still did it! Three, you returned after all these years, expecting her to be in tears of joy. And what does she get for loving you through all those hurtful long years? Your distrust! _

_I never did that!_

_Keep saying that to yourself, but believe you me, when the opportunity presents itself, she'll be all about forgetting you!_

_

* * *

_

Walking towards the train station, Kahoko can't help but feel the guilty feeling she has now come to associate with going home to her mother's vindictiveness. And to match it, she's been terrible to Ryoutaro when he hasn't done anything bad to him, technically.

Sighing as she approached the platform, Kahoko flexed her legs and leaned, trying to catch sight of the gleaming white train approaching their side.

Stepping up in what she knows is a competition for good seats, Kahoko pushed and squeezed herself amongst the throng until she finally got her favorite spot: the one near the door.

Sitting down and leaning her head in the glass, Kahoko looked around her emptily, not quite registering the many people around her as thoughts swirled inside her head.

_Ryoutaro, Len, Kazuki and Azuma. _

Frustration seemed all high as she recalled Azuma.

_The handsome and traitorous man_, is what Kahoko liked to refer to him.

_Handsome, smart, talented and giving; I can't believe someone like him has something rotten hidden inside of him!_

Kahoko clearly recalls Azuma's icy retort to her facts.

**FLASHBACK**

"Yunoki – sama… I need to tell you something very important…" Kahoko texted to Azuma.

"What is it? Can't it wait?" even through texts, Kahoko can't help but shudder at the coldness Azumi can emit, even through texts.

"I'm pregnant, Yunoki – sama… Its yours…" Kahoko fumbled as she answered his text, afraid of the sudden fear she's feeling.

"Pregnant? Mine's? Are you really pathetic as you look?" no mistaking the sardonic retort, Kahoko can't help but feel the tears fall and mingle with the rain.

"But its yours! I'm sure of it!" unable to stop herself, she tenderly stroked her abdomen, knowing that at that moment, a new life is growing inside of her; a life that will eventually grow up not knowing who its father might be.

"Are you sick?" Azuma's short reply solidified Kahoko's fears of their unborn child's future.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

She hadn't bothered to reply to Azuma's last message, knowing full well she will only be greeted with even more disgusting and shaming words. She's seen it in movies back then, its disgusting and at the same time, heartbreaking.

4 months pregnant, Kahoko felt proud that she didn't bear any sign of being blessed with a baby. Tenderly stroking her abdomen, she can feel a faint kick inside, it made her happy every time her baby does it.

Smiling to herself, she raised her eyes at the glowing sunset as the train chugged on.

_Its been a long time since I last saw a beautiful sunset like this. It must be compensating me for all the hardship and pain I'm going through._

Her view was suddenly blocked when the elderly woman she sat next to stood up to leave. Halting to a stop, the train doors swung open to reveal a bob of heads hurriedly entering and finding a place to lean on to.

Kahoko sat transfixed as a head crowned with the most beautiful golden hair came striding towards her and sitting down at the just vacated seat beside her.

Unable to look at him sitting beside her, Kahoko turned to her left to stare at his reflected image.

_I wish-_

_

* * *

_

"What makes you think I'd do that?" Len's cold voice came out loud and clear as he juggled a T-square, some pens and his set of drawing papers.

"No! No matter how many times YOU keep on insisting I do it, I won't ever stoop that low!" growling with disbelief, Len nearly stumbled at the cords snaking at the floor.

"You can say that now but you'll be apologizing soon!" and with that, Len slammed his phone down as soon as he freed himself of his things.

"Of all the stupid and insensitive things!" muttering loudly under his breath as he once again carried boxful of his things, Len kept casting dark glances at his computer, looking at in a way as if it offended him heavily.

"Len – kun! Please hurry! We haven't got all day!" shouting at him from below, Misa Hamai clucked as she heard Len swore loudly as he finally tripped at the cords.

* * *

Nodding off in front of his computer on a cloudy Saturday aftrenoon, Ryoutaro can't help but see flashes of images of Kahoko and Isho. Where Isho is womanly and careful about her looks, Kahoko was the exact opposite. She was childish and carefree; a bit tomboyish yet a complete lady (plus it helps that she came from the right background and all that society stuff) is what she truly is.

_Why can't relationships be easy?_

Swearing loudly as he slumped in his seat, Ryoutaro flicked the picture frame near his pc: a picture of Kahoko smiling mischievously as she looked up from her McDonald's float. Smiling weakly, he knew Kahoko had no idea he kept this picture of her. She would be very angry if she found out.

_Its not like she'll EVER find out, will she?_

*ringing sound*

Checking his pocket, Ryoutaro felt for his phone now shaking violently. He stood up suddenly when he saw the name of the caller:

My Kahoko

Smiling despite his bored stance, Ryoutaro answered his phone quickly.

"Yes?" trying not to sound too excited yet at the same time, not bored.

"Ryou – kun…" hearing the sudden wavering note of Kahoko's voice, fear crept up to him like maggots.

"What's up? You sound like you're on the verge of having a major breakdown.." he joked to her.

* * *

Biting her lips agitatedly, Kahoko kept on glancing up at the entrance of the university.

"Who are you waiting for?" a cheerful voice popped up from behind Kahoko, making her jump inches from the floor.

"Oh! I didn't hear you coming, Hihara – kun…" Kahoko smiled nervously as Kazuki sidled up to her.

"I asked you something, Hino – chan…" wagging a stern finger at her, Kazuki smiled down at her, stopping himself from impulsively kissing her forehead.

"Waiting for Ryoutaro – kun…" Kahoko's voice came out high-pitched and strained.

"Oh.." Kazuki instantly felt disappointed, stepped inches away from Kahoko.

Regretting her answer at once, Kahoko bit her lips once more and shuffled her feet nervously.

"I'm about to break up with him…" _Well, I think I'm about to…._

Hardly believing I, Kazuki looked up and saw Kahoko's shifty attitude.

"How come.." Pretending indifference yet at the same time trying to suppress his glee, Kazuki peered curiously at Kahoko's hidden face.

Mumbling something incoherent, Kahoko looked up at the entrance once more to find Ryoutaro striding towards them purposefully, his steps almost bouncing.

"Kaho!" Ryoutaro's deep voice broke through Kazuki's ears, making him frown.

Kissing Kahoko in the cheeks, Kazuki can't help but note that Kahoko seemed to be pulling herself away from him.

_Is she really breaking up with him?_

"So, who's your friend here?" Ryoutaro gave Kazuki a pleasant smile.

"Its uhh…" Kahoko felt the sweat from her forehead clustering with her sudden fear.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Ryoutaro looked enquiringly at Kahoko, not noticing the sudden panic etched in her usually calm face.

"I'm Kazuki Hihara.." Kazuki extended his hand towards Ryoutaro.

Looking at Kazuki then at Kahoko, Ryoutaro felt humiliated and angry.

"So, the famous Kazuki Hihara.." Ryoutaro sneered at him, aware of the attraction Kazuki emitted towards Kahoko.

"Its not like that, Ryou – kun…" Kahoko spoke quietly, trying to avoid a confrontation.

"Its not, is it?" Ryoutaro' s voice sounded so unlike him.

"Ehhr… Have I missed anything?" Kazuki looked at the two, aware of an incoming fight.

"So, you called me up here just to show me what kind of a man you'll be replacing me for?" Ryoutaro felt his hurt and anger mingling.

"No! Please, its not like that at all…" Kahoko pleaded, tugging Ryoutaro's arm.

"Please excuse us for a moment, Hihara.." dispensing with her usual 'kun', Kahoko dragged Ryoutaro away from Kazuki to try and explain.

As he watched Kahoko walk away with Ryoutaro, who was still looking at him with blood in his eyes, Kazuki felt his fist curl inside his pocket.

* * *

**Kazuki's POV**

"_So, you called me up here just to show me what kind of a man you'll be replacing me for?"_ Kazuki recalled Ryoutaro slip in his anger.

_What the hell is that all about? I thought she's breaking up with him?_

Kazuki made his way towards the canteen.

"Hey, have you heard? There's this girl who's…."

Everyone around him, people kept on babbling. It was the end of the midterm exams, everyone was excited at the prospect of free evenings before returning to their usual workload.

But Kazuki wasn't showing the least bit interest. Midterms or not, their workload remained the same. He wove in and out of the people converged at the canteen doors.

_I wish…._

_

* * *

_

**Okay, okay… it was very long… its to compensate for the long time I haven't updated…. Sigh…. Hahah…. Anyways, the next chappie is focused on a singular person only… Maybe its obvious in this chapter, maybe not…. I want this to turn out really thickly plotted… But I'm blocked senseless…. I think I may finally be coming with writer's block fever.. hahhaha… !**


	7. Chapter 6: The Letters that Never came

**Author's Note: I want to literally kill my internet connection! I have rewritten this chapter for like 5 times and not once did I manage to save it! UGGGGHHHH! I'm updating it in a much later period because this chapter is VERY long!**

***sigh* now now... the connections not bad... but my eyes are like deadbolts... I'm soooo sllleeeppppyyyyy...**

**I've just been writing away, and lo and behold! 3k already? man! time does fly so easily and well, quickly.. september 30, 2010 1:31a.m**

**Shucks! Today's my daughter's 8th month birthday! hahaha! what can I give her? hmm...**

**My head aches with the constant reminder that I have to sleep more. I guess I'm being an insomniac now. I've lost a couple of pounds too... Dizzy wizzy... October 4, 2010 5:00a.m**

I do not own La Corda D'oro, but my story plot is original.

**Chapter 6: The Letters that never came.**

**

* * *

**Kahoko stood at the train station, waiting for him to arrive. Looking down at her watch, its face read 8:45.

_Just a couple more minutes, please!_

Pacing up and down while softly stroking her huge belly, Kahoko felt the tears stinging her eyes, but wanted to hold it back as long as she can.

"Aren't you coming?" Kahoko whispered in the air, hoping that it would carry her unanswered question to him, wherever he might be.

.

.

"So, how's my cute little patient?" the doctor asked Kahoko as she smiled shyly up at her doctor.

"Just fine, doctor..." Kahoko gave her card to her.

"Hmm.. You seem to be gaining some weight. Good for you!" the doctor smiled at Kahoko, glad for the first time that Kahoko had atleast a couple of pounds since the last check-up.

"Now, why don't you lie down over there and we'll check your baby's heartbeat?" she looked down at Kahoko, noting how pale she had gotten for the first time.

"Sure."

.

Lying down, Kahoko's head swirled with thoughts and each one came out even more painful than the last one.

_Is he okay?_

_I hope he is._

_Why hadn't he come though?_

_He promised me he'll come to every check-up I would go to._

Sighing, Kahoko's thoughts focused on her doctor as she appeared on view, carrying a stethoscope in her hands.

"Are you excited?" her doctor smiled down at Kahoko's figure laid out in front of her.

Nodding a vague 'yes', the doctor then proceeded to her belly, gently moving the stethoscope around her belly until finally locating the baby.

"Here, listen to your baby's heartbeat." she excitedly gave the stethoscope to Kahoko.

Placing it on her ears, Kahoko listened in as she heard a faint hearbeat on the other end.

"Is that really my baby?" Kahoko looked up at her doctor, excitement etched on her face.

"You guessed it!" her doctor smiled as she noticed the sparkle on Kahoko's eyes, her pale face flushing with happiness.

"But its so..."

"Weak? Yes, its weak for a bit since I can't locate the heartbeat precisely. That's as good as I can get." the doctor smiled assuredly at her.

"So, is she okay?"

"Yes, she is! Don't worry too much, Kahoko! Your brother will have my neck if he found out I'm getting you all pumped up!" laughing gaily at Kahoko, the doctor moved away, giving Kahoko the chance to dress up.

.

"Now, here's a couple of medicine I want you to take, since its almost your due date already and I want a healthy little baby once it gets out!" her doctor joked, smiling broadly as Kahoko got the joke.

"This one here's to increase you blood since you _might_ lose a lot of it once you give birth." she scribbled down something on the paper.

"And this one here's to get your weight up even more, I can't possibly let you give birth with your weight right now. You haven't reached the desire weight for a girl like you.." she scribbled once more as she scrutinized her writing, hoping against hope that Kahoko would be able to read her messy handwriting.

"And this one here would help you with any swollen feet you might have before you give birth." she scribbled for the last time before handing the paper to Kahoko.

"Thanks, doctor!" Kahoko took the paper and stood up, bowing low, she gave one last smile before leaving the OPD department.

.

Walking along the long hallway of the private hospital, Kahoko once more got lost in her thoughts, not noticing the looks men of different ages gave her.

_Ryoutaro, where are you?_  
.

.

* * *

.

.

Ryoutaro paced irritably in front of his computer.

_Its 11 already. _

_Did she wait for me?_

_Maybe she didn't._

_Her check-ups WAY important for her than waiting for me._

_But what if she DID wait?_

"AAARRRGGGGHHHH!" he pulled his verdant hair.

Checking his phone for any messages from Kahoko, he smacked his head as he remembered that Kahoko didn't have a fone anymore.

Unable to stand the rising frustration and the pacing, he then grabbed his coat hanging on his swivel chair and put it on.

"Dad! I'm going out!" he shouted behind him as he slammed the front door behind him.

_Maybe a good stroll somewhere might clear my head._

_._

_._

* * *

.

.

Kahoko returned home, she felt like crying, but she's afraid her mom would see it.

_Ryoutaro, where are you?_

Kahoko hurriedly went to her room and laid herself down on her bed still fully clothed.

Closing her eyes, she felt the tears she's been containing begging for release. Unable to stop it, she felt two hot tears trickle down her alabaster skin, wetting her pillow.

_Ryoutaro, you said you'll come! _

She wanted to shout at the empty walls of her room, but can't. She felt her voice being constricted in her throat, unable to draw itself out.

Placing her small hands on her face, Kahoko felt a sob escape her.

_RYOUTARO! _

She screamed on her head over and over again.

She leaned on her pillow, feeling something collide with her legs. Looking up, her mouth formed an "O" with comprehension.

_My letters._

Wiping away her tears, she touched the plastic wrapper with tenderness before opening it.

.

.

**_dec. 7, 2009_**

**_- midnight - _**

**_MONDAY_**

**_._**

_hi Ryou - kun!_

_ hihihi... its only hours ago that we were together.. :) You know, my darling, I'm so happy! its because I got to spend the day with you.. I know that I sound awfully cold towards you in my text messages.. but the truth is, I miss you SO MUCH! Remember when you said "I LOVE YOU" to me a while ago? I felt really happy and giddy! hihihi... and then the kiss you gave me.. __I felt like I was in heaven! hihihi... our kiss may be short but it was very sweet... Almost all our kisses have been short... but that's okay.. atleast we've been able to kiss, right? :)_

_ my darling Ryou - kun.. I still feel giddy.. I can't stop smiling because of the happiness I feel! I AM REALLY TRULY HAPPY! While I was waiting for a ride home, I kept on praying real hard and thanking God... Its because despite everything that has been going on, he gave us some means for us to see each other. He made you SUPER patient while waiting for me to arrive. I remember having cold feet thinking that you might have left me because you've gotten impatient with waiting for me. I'm so happy that God is making every way possible for us to see each other. Those times that we've been unable to call and text each other, I've been praying so hard to the Lord that he'll keep you safe and that he'll somehow make you feel less lonely and saw without me by your side.. Instead of devoting myself to mourning the fact that we're so far apart, I just pray every night. It helps me keep my mind off of things and aside from that, i know that in my prayers, you'll be watched over more securely. That's why I've been calm lately, my love. Despite the many unsure things in this life, I know that the guidance up there is one sure thing. That's why everyday, I feel my love for you growing stronger. Its because I'm not only relying on that love, I'm also relying on the love God has given us. Even though we're miles apart,, I know you're well kept from harm._

_my darling Ryou - kun, its music to my ears everytime you say you love me. you mean everything to me, my darling Ryou - kun.. and I'm glad you've been so understanding lately, especially with my family. I know everything will be okay. that's why I'm asking yet again for you to be patient. I don't want you to be pulled into this chaos and get hurt in the process.. that's why I'm doing everything so that you're name will be clean once more. I don't want you to hear nasty things from my family once we become 'legal' together. Its okay if my family gets mad at me, because I know for a fact that their hurtful words can't get any worse. I've dealt with those things before and I can deal with them again. I just don't want you to be caught up in it and get affected. I know its a little bit selfish of me, but its the only way know. I've been lately being positive about my situation for both our sake's. I hope you understand that._

_on a lighter note my darling dearest, I've got more wardrobe for me and my darling baby! I don't even KNOW where to put all of it! Lots and lots of clothes from my aunt arrived just today and its been CRAZY! as in! There was this SUPER CUTE maternity clothes that I simply adore! I hope you get to see them... ^_^.. the colors are so ADORABLE! my sister Harumi got real envious! hihihi... I want you to be the very first person to see me in those clothes.. when I'm all okay and well-rested, maybe I'll give you a big surprise and appear without them on... ^_^ The next time we do get to DO it, I hope we're both ready and like what we've discussed before, I'll give myself to you with a matching ring in my hand. And maybe next time, we'll have our own little baby.. I'll always do my very best and try to behave properly so we can both share those dreams todether in the near future._

_REMEMBER: ALWAYS BE POSTIVE! :)_

_Any kind of career you wish to tackle, I'll always be there next to you, giving you my undying support. I'll always be your biggest fan, my darling Ryou - kun! I'll keep on cheering you on and I won't ever let you think of giving up! I'll keep on giving you my love._

_QUITTING IS FOR LOSERS!_

_No matter how many times you may fall, I'll help you stand up. _

_My darling dearest Ryou - kun, always keep in mind that I'm always devoted to you. That I'll aways love you no matter where you may be. My heart will forever be yours._

_I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!_

_xxKAHOKOxx_

_** **whatever i can do for your well-being, I'll do it because you're important for me... xxRyoutaroxx**_

_**01:37:14p.m**_

_**Oct-12-2009**_

_._

_._

Kahoko can't help but feel the hot tears streaking down her cheeks.

_What happened to us? _

She wanted to shout out Ryoutaro's name but she felt his name stuck at her throat.

How many times must she suffer? How many times must she feel this immense pain?

Clutching the letter to her chest, she felt all sense of reason leave her. Her sanity was wavering.

She wanted _him_!

She barely had a second's notice when she heard her mother's footsteps at the stairs.

_She's coming up!_

Frantically collecting her thoughts, Kahoko dumped a stackful of clothes on top of the plastic full of her love letters to Ryoutaro as quietly as possible and laid herself flat on her bed. Hoping against hope that her mother would buy it.

"Kaho - chan?" her mom whispered as she tiptoed inside Kahoko's room.

"Kaho - chan?" looking at her bed, she caught sight of her daughter sprawled next to a pile of dirty clothes, fast asleep.

Sighing, her mom left her room.

"I wish she would stop falling asleep so suddenly.. She barely eats her lunch nowadays.. The baby might get sick.."

Kahoko heard her mom's worried comment before she left her room.

Waiting for her mom's footsteps to totally disappear, Kahoko only moved when she heard the bathroom door close loudly. Which meant her mom's taking her afternoon bath.

Sighing, Kahoko sat herself down.

_Close call!_

Her mom never liked Ryoutaro. Even with all the wonderful stories Kahoko told her.

_"He's the man who stole you from us!" _she remembered her mom's angry outburst when she told them that she's dating him.

Her mom found out about the age gap between them from Len.

_Baka Len! _Kahoko savagely bit her lip.

If it hadn't been for Len's sudden slip up, she wouldn't have been in this state of mess.

_But then again, I can't blame him..._ Kahoko hugged her pillow closer.

Len had always been there for her.

Always supported her.

Always made her laugh.

It was only natural that her parent's would like him.

And it was natural too that at some point, she too fell in love with the aloof Len.

.

.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

.

.

"Kaho - chan... I wonder why you and Tsukimori - kun aren't together yet?" Kahoko's mom asked innocently during lunch as they all sat down at the huge dining table, with Len as their visitor.

"MOM!" Kahoko nearly choked on her beans at the question.

"But I always see the two of you together! I mean, he's extremely nice!" her mom nodded approvingly towards Len, not noticing the faint blush on his face.

"Mom!" Kahoko wanted her mom to just shut up! It was embarrassing both of them.

"Don't tell me you have a girlfriend, Tsukimori - kun?" Kahoko's mom faced Len, eyes scanning Len handsome countenance.

"Uhmm... Not really, Mrs. Hino..." Len coughed uneasily.

"Then its perfect! You two are such a lovely match!" Kahoko's mom clapped her hands, her husband rolling her eyes at her.

"Darling, leave the kids alone.." Kahoko's dad muttered, casting an apologetic glance at Len's way.

"But dear! I've always wanted a beautiful little baby girl with the same shade as Tsukimori - kun's hair!" wailing at her husband with puppy dog eyes.

"Mom! We haven't even thought about you-know-what yet!" Kahoko nearly toppled off her chair.

"That's because you're slow dear!" her mom retorted, looking back at her husband.

Coughing loudly, everyone's gaze turned to Len.

"I believe your daughter is already dating someone..."

Making wild gestures at Len, Kahoko froze as her parent's looked at her with piercing gazes.

"Your dating someone?" her dad asked strangely.

"Yes..."

"Why didn't you tell us?" her mom sounded hurt.

"And invite him for dinner while you grill him to death?" Kahoko asked exasperatedly, shooting Len a 'you-are-so-dead' look.

"Tsukimori- kun, how old is this gentleman Kaho - chan is dating?" her mom asked innocently once more.

"Hmm.." Len looked down at his hands, "30?"

"WWWHHHHAAATTT?" Kahoko's mom and dad nearly fainted at the answer.

Looking bewilderedly at Kahoko, Len watched as Kahoko shook her head at him and smiled sadly.

It suddenly hit him.

_They didn't know!_

Cursing his huge mouth, Len watched as Kahoko's parent's shoot her saddened looks and to him? Covetous one's.

.

.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

.

.

* * *

.

.

Reminiscing about the past, Kahoko can't help but let a sigh of longing escape her lips.

She misses her friends.

No matter how many years they may part, they were still her friends.

And friends will always stay as friends.

.

.

* * *

.

.

Gritting his teeth as braved the biting coldness, he waded his way across shoppers along the Motomachi Shopping Street [1], until finally escaping its long blocks of stores.

As Ryoutaro strode along the cobbled path towards the Harbour View Park in Motomachi [2], his hands inside the pocket of his coat.

Heaving a big sigh, Ryoutaro then trudge his way up towards the viewing deck at the top and settled himself on one of the seats as soon as he reached his destination.

He then preceded to watch couples just a few meters away from him, cuddling like a pair of misted puppies in the chilly weather.

Looking away with a sigh yet again, he then rubbed his hands together, hoping for some warmth.

_How long it has been since I held you in my arms, Kahoko..._

Ryoutaro felt stupid, coupled with regret and guilt.

_I had the chance to meet you today, to confirm or deny my suspicions, but I didn't. _

He closed his eyes, stopping the tears just in time.

Images flashed before his closed eyes.

_Kahoko smiling at him with a huge grin plastered in her face._

_Kahoko sipping some earl grey tea as they checked in a hotel._

_Kahoko rubbing her face against a homeless kitten._

_Kahoko hitching up her pants as they decided to run in the rain. _

_Kahoko pouting as he refused to hug her._

_Kahoko with tears in her eyes as he pushed Kazuki._

_Kahoko begging his forgiveness._

_Kahoko crying._

_Kahoko... _

Smiling sadly, Ryoutaro felt a stabbing pain in his chest.

_How many times did he make her cry? How many countless times did he push her here and there. How many times did somebody else have to mend her heart, when it was supposed to be his duty to do it? How many people enjoyed her crazy antics and laughter, when all he did was reprimand her for being childish._

He looked up at the gray sky.

He knew Kahoko like the back of his palm. He knew how easily fooled she can be.

_Hadn't I done it to her too? _He bitterly tasted it.

.

.

* * *

.

.

**FLASHBACK**

.

.

"Look, I have to go now..." Ryoutaro pulled away from Kahoko's suddenly limp figure.

Giving him a mute nod, Kahoko hid her face from him, aware of the growing pain she's feeling.

"We had a talk about being a couple for quite a while now. And she's been literally forcing me to get my ass out there in her place."

"I know.. You've been rambling about it lately.." Kahoko chuckled, her head still down.

"But it doesn't mean we can't be friends.." Ryoutaro wanted to pull her head up, to know that she'll be okay.

"Is it that easy?" Kahoko mumbled softly.

"Of course! I mean, I'm literally like an older brother to you, aren't I?" he punched Kahoko's shoulder's playfully, hoping for more light-hearted reaction.

"Yeah.. 10 years.. As old as my sister.." Kahoko answered noncommittally.

"You can approach me if you want to ask me about some guys, especially if you want to ask me about your future boyfriend's behaviour.." despite the smile he plastered in his face, Ryoutaro felt as if his neck was being strangled. Despite the suggestion, he felt like the only closest thing he would accept that fact would be when he's dying.

"Sure.." Kahoko shrugged, slipping her right-hand inside her jean's pocket.

_Whatever.. _Kahoko wanted to snap Ryoutaro's neck into two.

"But my girlfriend would probably call you up when we get together.. She might.. ah.. ask you if anything happened between us.." Ryoutaro hesitantly told her.

_She's your girlfriend now, huh? _Kahoko smirked bitterly at her left hand.

"I was wondering if... uh.. maybe you can tell her, if she asks that is, that nothing happened between us.. That we.. ah.. didn't meet at all..." He continued on, knowing he's stepped on a dangerous subject.

As if a light went on inside Kahoko's head and heart, she looked up at Ryoutaro carefully before hitching a dangerous grin in her face and retorting sweetly, "Oh sure!"

Looking at Kahoko uneasily, Ryoutaro peered closely at her face. Despite the fact that Kahoko was easy to read, he felt scared all of a sudden.

"Oh I won't tell her anything alright.."

.

.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

.

.

* * *

.

.

Kahoko had kept her word. She didn't breathe a word about their relationship to his ex-girlfriend.

Ryoutaro had been thankful to her for being quiet about it, but it seems karma was inkling to wring his neck. Not just that, it seemed Kahoko's anger and pain channeled themselves to him and his ex-girlfriend.

Just a week into his arrival at his ex-girlfriend place, he caught her girlfriend sleeping with another man at that man's place.

That was enough to drive him crazy up the wall and kill his ex-girlfriend.

But he didn't do it.

He now wished he did the latter, because the moment he returned to Yokohama, his ex tried contacting him again, begging for a second chance. Even seducing him.

It disgusted him to no end so he changed his number.

Thinking back, he tried contacting Kahoko the moment he returned to Yokohama, hoping for some huge dosage of her anger and to beg for HER second chance.

But she didn't answer any of his e-mails, nor any of his voice messages on her phone.

It was only a year after trying to contact her that he found out she changed her number. He found out about that from her personally. But that wasn't what really surprised him.

Raising a cold hand up at the sky, he shielded his face at the sudden burst of sunlight penetrating the grey clouds.

_Kahoko fell in love with someone else._

Ryoutaro didn't know the particulars. She hadn't really described their relationship. She didn't tell him anything about him at all!

_I'm sorry, Tsuchiura.. But I already am in love with someone else. He inspires me so much and he makes me so happy! I am so very in love with him! You know the tingly feeling you get when you're very happy with someone? That's what I feel when I see him! Oh, Tsuchiura! I love him VERY much!_

It felt like a stab in his heart back then. Come to think of it, the reason he took her seriously about the subject of her moving on was because she dropped their first name basis, which he never really got the hang of forgetting.

_Back then.._

But he found out about the truth when he got back together with Kahoko. Though not officially together.

The guy she was in love with was a certain Shimizu Keiichi's cousin. He found out that they got to be real close. But he moved away.

Which was good for him and Kahoko. He can't practically waltz back in Kahoko's life like some misguided missile without proper directions. It was suicide and he sure wasn't hell bent on doing it.. yet.

Scruffing his hair, Ryoutaro stood up and left.

_No use in thinking of the past..._

.

.

* * *

.

.

Banging his keyboard for the fifth time, Len stood up and kicked his swivel chair. Earning himself a swollen toenail seconds later and a sore hand.

Cursing his computer, he slumped at his bed, head spinning with thoughts of all the things he has to accomplish before the weekend ends.

_Cad project? Check._

_Sketch-up? Half check._

_Adobe? Check._

_3D? Half check._

_Clean room? Forget it!_

Looking around him, he cringed at the sight.

It wasn't particularly THAT messy. Its just... out of order?

Closing his eyes, everything around him disappeared.

Contentment finally appeared.

.

**_"Len - kun.." _**_she called out to him, removing a lock of his hair away from his face._

**_"Hn.."_**_Len smiled, opening his eyes, he snaked his arms behind her back and stroked her crimson tresses._

**_"They've grown a lot, Kahoko..." _**_he murmured softly._

_Chuckling, Kahoko leaned in closer._

**_"Maybe I let them grow like that intentionally?" _**_Kahoko nibbled his ears, making him sigh._

**_"You did now, did you?" _**_Len kissed her neck._

**_"Maybe..."_**_ Len heard her soft chuckle as her face inch closer to her._

.

Waking up suddenly, Len rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he gazed all around him.

His pens and papers lay strewn all over him. His bag lay lifeless where his head laid minute ago.

"Another dream..." Len murmured as he held his head.

"Damn dream..."

.

.

* * *

.

.

Kazuki busily tapped his empty ink box for some treats.

Throwing it away disappointedly, he stretched his arms and stood up.

_January. Mid-January._

Picking up his silver phone, he opened it and watched it as it came to life. Light pouring over the wallpaper.

The photo showed him and Kahoko smiling crazily at the camera in front of them.

She was wearing a green dress and grey shorts. Smiling happily and contentedly.

_She was happy._

Of course he knew Kahoko has a crush on him. EVERYONE knew about it. Except that SHE didn't know that THEY knew. Which was both pathetic and sad at the same time.

The chocolate brownies she always brought to school during their junior year. _Obvious!_

The essay-writing assignments she helped him with. She was the best in their class when it comes to essays. _But to help him that much?_

The blushing... _So adorable.. :)_

The sweet smiles.. _Hard to resist.. :)_

He's not stupid enough to not notice it.

She likes him a lot.

_Its just that damn Ryoutaro!_

He wouldn't have had noticed Kahoko's true feelings if Ryoutaro hadn't fired up like a woman with PMS. _Idiot!_

He liked Kahoko too. _A lot! _But she made it very hard for him.

She kept on distancing herself from him before she filed for a year off, and she kept on making it impossible for him to make a move _before _she even got pregnant.

Sighing, Kazuki pressed his face on his cellphone's screen, and kissed the picture of Kahoko.

.

.

* * *

.

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**FLASHBACK**

.

.

"Kaho - chan.. Do you really have to go now?" Mio asked unhappily.

Nodding sadly, Kahoko looked away, she didn't want to disappoint Mio. Especially since its here birthday today. The only reason she lied to her mom if she can go out today was because of her.

"Its already 3 p.m Mio... Mom would be mad at me if I broke my promise to her..."

"But.." Rui began.

"I mean..." Jin added.

"No but's guys... A promise is a promise..." Kahoko sighed, fixing her bag.

"Demo... Hihara - kun hasn't arrived yet..." Mio softly stated, looking at Kahoko with beady eyes.

"Just say sorry to him from me.." Kahoko shrugged as she pretended to dust of some dirt from her feet, hiding the tears from her eyes.

***beep beep***

"Ow!" Mio shot up in surprise.

Laughing along with the others, Kahoko looked at Mio as her face changed weirdly.

"Kaho - chan.. Can you wait for a few more minutes? I'll be back in a sec.. Just need to pick up something.." Without waiting for Kahoko to answer, Mio pulled out an umbrella nearby and braved the lashing rain.

Deflating in her seat once more, Kahoko crossed her arms and tapped her watch nervously.

_My mom's going to kill me for sure!_

After what seemed like 10 minutes, a glowing Mio appeared on the threshold, making Kahoko frown as she attempted to stand up so she can leave.

And there stood behind Mio was Kazuki.

Wet but still smiling happily to everyone.

_Everyone! Not me! Just everyone!_

Kahoko shot Mio an you're-so-dead look.

Mio retorted with an i-don't-give-a-damn one.

"See! Hihara's here! Sit down, sit down Kaho - chan!" Mio offered sweetly as Kahoko slumped in her seat, wanting to throw a tantrum.

"You can seat beside her, Hihara!" Mio pushed Kazuki at the seat Jin vacated so suddenly.

Grinning embarrassedly at Kahoko, Kazuki sat down and pulled out a green towel and rubbed his dripping hair after rushing in the rain in a hurry.

"Ne, Hihara! You know Kahoko's favorite color is green!" Mio elbowed Rui and pointed at the towel Kazuki's holding.

Blushing furiously, Kahoko coughed pointedly.

"That's just pure coincidence." she glared at Mio.

Kazuki wanted to say something but shut up the moment Kahoko spoke.

_It isn't just a pure coincidence... _Kazuki stared at Kahoko's blushing face.

Letting out an inaudible sigh, Kazuki helped himself to some food, repeatedly glancing at Kahoko's still flushed face.

"I really have to go now.." Kahoko muttered as she glanced at her watch.

_4:10._

"You have to go so soon? I've just arrived..." Kazuki tried not to sound too disappointed, but failed.

Not even talking directly to Kazuki, Kahoko spoke to the floor.

"I promised my mom I'd be home before 5..."

"But its raining out there..." Jin piped up, not noticing the tension between Kahoko and Kazuki.

"It wasn't raining that hard before Mio - chan here had that glorious idea to have me wait!" Kahoko retorted.

"Ne... Gomen, Kaho - chan..." Mio blushed in embarrassment.

"Hmpfh!" Kahoko answered, peering at the curtain behind her, checking the weather.

Sighing, Kahoko closed the curtain, but instantly felt rooted to the spot as her eyes met Kazuki's emerald one's.

Looking at Kahoko, Kazuki wanted to just grab her to him and kiss her with all the tenderness and love he has for her.

"Hey you two!" Mio laughed as both of them looked away from each other, blushing crimson.

"I'm going now!" Kahoko stood up abruptly.

"Okay, okay.." sighing, Mio took a spare umbrella and opened it outside as Kahoko bid her goodbyes.

Aren't you going to say goodbye to me? I came here all the way for you... And you suddenly have to leave.." Kazuki whispered softly as Kahoko made to leave, careful not to show his dismay.

"Bye.." Kahoko did so much as look at him.

.

.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

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.

* * *

.

.

Kazuki shook his head.

_Is loving always like this?_

He remembered the way Kahoko would blush in the most reddest hue everytime she mentions Ryoutaro's name.

But... Something about her changed drastically.

Something he still couldn't quite comprehend.

Sighing, he closed his eyes.

And with that, Kazuki rolled over and slept.

.

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* * *

.

.

Ryoutaro returned home, head still teeming with thoughts.

Slamming the door as he entered, he shook off his coat and laid in the sofa.

_Damn it! _He shouted in his head, smacking his head with his fist in confusion.

"If I were you, my son.. I suggest you go and mend things with her right now.. Rather than sit around and muck about.." Ryoutaro's father ambled inside the room, sitting at the dining room.

"Yeah, great advice from a man who keeps on womanizing!" Ryoutaro snapped back, picking up his coat and cursing in an undertone.

Sighing, Ryoutaro's father shook his head and watched as his son walked away.

"By the looks of it, she means more to you than what you're showing..."

_I just hope you won't make the same mistakes I did._

.

.

_

* * *

_

**I know its kinda short and everything... but looking around my things for those "LETTERS", I had to literally smack my head coz there's like a dozen more or so in my stuff... I can't translate them fast enough to put in here.. Maybe in my later chapters, I can put them in... Just bit by bit though.. I feel so melodramatic lately... No, I feel pissed off lately! hahahaha! **

**.**

**In my next chapters, except a lot of twists and turns.. I just love Kazuki's character in this story! Although Len's really my fave, I made Kazuki's character here exactly like my crush.. oh shoot! I just about given away the finale.. hihihi..**

**.**

**Coming UP!**

**.**

_**"I love her!" **__he growled._

**___"She loves me!"_**

**___._**

**___THE DAY I SAID GOODBYE..._**

**_._**

**_._**

**_JA-NE~!_**


	8. Chapter 7: The day I said GOODBYE

**Author's Note: hahaha! Sorry of the SUPERDUPERLATE updates! been reading manga's lately.. Been absorbed so much in it.. My sibs wanted to stab forks and knives in my brain for the late nights in front of the laptop reading manga's. But then they remembered if they did that, they would lose the only person who washes the dishes, their clothes.. sweeps the floor (plus mops it up).. cleans the bathroom (up and down)... removes bedsheets and curtains and pillow cases... manages the house bills.. cooks lunch and dinner (breakfast is on my other sis)... takes care of the kids (plus my own!).. picks up my little niece from kindergarten (5 minute ride from our place)... personal keeper of my older brother... and a lot more.. **

**I do believe that if I die, those lucky fools would bawl out their eyes since I do every task around the house! ahahah! totally dependent on me! and I'm the youngest at that! hahaha!**

I do not own La Corda D'oro, but my story plot is original.

**Chapter 7: The day I said GOODBYE**

* * *

.

.

Kazuki sighs for what seemed like the nth time as he watched their teacher draw diagrams at how cities are being merged into neighboring cities, thus creating a Mega City.

"As you can see..." Kazuki hears his teacher drawls on again for the past hour.

He was tired...

and bored.

As he gazed around the room, he caught sight of the rest of his classmates busily taking notes of the lesson. Some were even brave enough to play silly games under their teachers nose!

Eyes closing at the silliness, Kazuki relaxed his pose.

He seemed tense.

_No, I AM tense! _He argued with himself as he laid his back on the cold plastic chair.

Looking down on his wrist, he caught sight of his watches' face.

_4:15_

He has to endure 45 more minutes before he can sing his freedom and begin mindless wanderings around the walls of his cozy room.

It was crazy, but relaxing.

He never felt this tensed in his entire life.

Not since her name cropped up at the start of the class.

The usual roll-call began, and when their teacher suddenly paused, Kazuki knew.

She paused at _her _name.

She hadn't been mentioned much since she left.

Maybe in passing.

But that was just it.

Nothing more.

_Nothing less._

He was craving for her sweet smiles and innocent questions that could most probably drive anyone crazy.

She asked about the most easiest and obvious things in life.

_Back then..._

But now, _she was different_, they said.

_"She started to withdraw a lot.. She's starting to keep her thoughts to herself.." _Kazuki heard Mio and Nao tell Len.

_Why Len of all people? Couldn't they tell it to him too? He IS a friend of her's too!" _Kazuki remembered throwing them what seemed like glares but came off as hurtful.

At that precise moment, Keiichi and Fuyuumi approached him and smiled at him sadly.

_"Mio and Nao didn't want to tell you because Kahoko asked not to.." _Kazuki gaped in disbelief.

_"Why?" _he remembered asking.

_"Kahoko didn't say why.. She just told that to them.." _

_That's stupid! _Kazuki glared at the piece of paper in front of him.

An empty piece of paper waiting to be filled with his thoughts.

But he couldn't.

He can't.

Once more, Kazuki raised his lime-colored head and checked whether their teacher was busy enough not to notice him wandering off in la-la land.

.

* * *

.

**FLASHBACK**

.

Kazuki walked up to Othello Adriano Hall up at the fifth floor of their building, his earphones plugged in as loud music drummed in his ears.

Picking up more pace, Kazuki hitched his brown Nike bag higher unto his shoulder and flexed the hand holding his T-square and tube.

As soon as he reached the 5th floor, he stopped in his tracks.

He didn't know why he suddenly stopped. He's been in situations like this before, and he never, not once, stopped in his tracks.

What made him do so rang like bell in his head.

And at that precise moment, his breath was caught in his throat.

He never, not once saw any girl in particular to be his liking. He was enjoying his life far too much and relationships were the last thing on his mind.

_What made me stop now? _was what throbbed particularly strong in his music filled head.

SHE was there.

She sat on the very balcony of the 5th floor. Her hands hugging her knees.

As she sat there unaware of him, her hair was being tickled by the cool wind, making it ride in his sultry breeze, revealing her ears covered by silver earphones.

He watched as a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Her eyes closed.

Her lips.

_Her lips. _That was all he could think of and see.

As his gaze ran down, he stood there mesmerized by the obvious softness of her skin. The small tapered hands.

She was wearing a knee-length skirt, a white V-necked top and the most slender pink heels.

She was breathtakingly beautiful for him.

But as soon as he marveled at how content he could be just by watching her serene state, her eyes opened.

Not like the one's that made you think it happened with no apparent grace.

She had opened her eyes just like the way roses would bloom. Just like the way butterflies would flutter amongst the most colorful flowers, regaling on their sweetness.

_She did it with such beauty! _Kazuki stood rooted in his spot.

But she looked at him. She looked at him and smiled.

Raising a graceful hand over her ears, she removed one of her earphones and greeted him.

"Hello, Hihara - kun!" Kahoko smiled, bestowing him with one of her easy smiles.

He was in heaven!

But the heaven he was in did not last long.

Just like any other thing, she was bound. Bound by her love. Bound by her heart. Bound to Ryoutaro Tsuchiura.

.

.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

.

.

* * *

.

Kazuki can feel his chest tightening as gazed emptily on his teacher.

Kahoko was bound by her aching heart to the same man who broke her tender heart.

She never spoke of her feelings to anyone but her friends Mio and Nao. But he knew enough, just by watching her movement, that she was not a free bird.

She was caged.

He had heard enough when he saw her sobbing out her woes to Mio.

And what pained him most was that the lucky bastard was causing Kahoko so much hurt!

He didn't know when he started falling in love with Kahoko. To be honest, he never EXPECTED to fall in love with her.

And to be honest, the more he wanted to let go of everything about Kahoko, the more he wants to hold on.

Kazuki once more drifted off into la-la land.

.

.

* * *

.

.

**FLASHBACK**

.

.

Kazuki waved feverishly at his group of admirers from the business college and biology college during one of their P.E classes. He smugly gave them one of killer smile before shooting the ball in the hoop.

And once more, tons of girls screamed their heart out as he shot it perfectly.

"I don't understand WHY you don't want to join the team!" their P.E teacher mumbled as Kazuki got a few 'that was great' from his classmates.

"I don't know either.." Kazuki smiled mischievously at him and returned to his sit at the bleachers, next to the girls from their class who just finished their finals on Arnis P.E, quite sure he got a 1.00 on HIS Basketball P.E.

As he swung his head here and there, he caught sight of her red hair.

_Kahoko! _he thought out happily, as he inched closer to where she is, but only getting as near as a feet from her.

He can almost hear her voice chirping happily to both Mio and Nao as she regaled on her stories.

"I know! I ALMOST failed the last practical! I was sooo nervous!" Kahoko laughed along the rest of their classmates as they hooted with laughter.

But as sudden shriek made Kazuki instantly snap back on the court as one of the balls his P.E classmate hit the wrong side of the basket and now came flying towards THEIR side of the bleachers.

Towards Kahoko!

In a blink of an eye, Kazuki ran to where Kahoko stood and blocked her from the flying ball as it hit her squarely on the back of his head, making him gasp in pain.

"Kazuki!" Kahoko gasped in shock as Kazuki's face contorted in pain.

"I'm fine.." Kazuki smiled painfully at her as he suddenly collapsed on her, making her lean back on the wall behind her.

"So sorry.." he winced as shouts of 'help' filled the gymnasium.

"I should be the one apologizing.." Kahoko can feel the tears screaming for release.

Kazuki felt his body give a bit more away as he sandwiched Kahoko even more with the wall.

And at that moment, he looked at Kahoko in the eyes, noticing how her golden eyes seemed magnified beautifully with worry.

He can almost breath in the same air as she was!

He can smell the sweet perfume she was wearing.

And as he continually gazed at her, he can see heat seeping in to her cheeks, making her blush furiously at their nearness.

And Kazuki knew at that precise moment that he was in love.

At the same time, his eyes closed and he blacked out.

The last thing he heard was Kahoko screaming, "KAZUKI!"

.

.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

.

.

* * *

.

.

"Hey! Kaho - chan!" Mio shouted in her mouthpiece as throngs of people milled around them at the busy train station.

"Yes?" Kahoko answered back as she held her gurgling 2-month old baby in her arms while juggling her phone in her shoulders.

"We'll be running a little later than we promised! Is that okay?" Mio struggled as people pushed her in the busy terminal, hoping to catch the next train.

"Its okay! Have a safe trip, okay?" Kahoko smiled as her daughter reached for her mouth.

"Aunty Mio and Nao will be here soon!" Kahoko tickled her daughter's chin as soon as she dropped the line.

.

"Can't you just hand this to her?" Len shoved a box wrapped in green paper towards Nao.

"Why can't YOU do it?" Nao shot back, pushing the box back to him.

"Can't you just do it!" Len wearily answered, losing his patience.

"You know I-"

"MIO! NAO!" a loud voice broke through the crowded station, making all three of them look for the source.

"Shoot!" grabbing the box, Mio hid it behind as a fleeting smirk graced Len's cold face.

"Whew! Good thing I caught up to you!" Kazuki panted as he stopped in front of them.

"Wait.. What are you doing here?" Kazuki abruptly stood up, weariness forgotten as he faced Len.

"Merely asking them aout a group project for tomorrow. I'll be going now!" and without waiting for their responses, walked in through the throng and literally disappeared.

"Just great!" Mio muttered under her breath to Nao.

Looking at where Len disappeared, Kazuki frowned.

"What does HE want?" Kazuki rounded on the two girls.

"Just like what he said, asking about something.." Nao wiped a sudden sweat.

"Doesn't look like something to me.." Kazuki looked from one to the other suspiciously.

"Oh stop it, Hihara! Why are YOU here anyways?" Mio changed the topic.

"Oh.. That.." shifting uneasily in his spot, he hadn't noticed both Mio and Nao's sigh of relief.

"I was wondering if I could come with you to Kahoko's place.." he muttered inaudibly.

"What?" Mio cupped her ears.

"I said! I was hoping I could come to Kahoko's place too!" he spoke much more louder in their ears, face reddening.

"Oh.." this time, both of them glanced nervously at one another.

"I'm sorry, Hihara - kun.. But you can't.."

.

.

_**"I'm sorry, Hihara - kun.. But you can't.."**_

_"Why?"_

**_"Kahoko's having one of those mood swings after giving birth.. And quite frankly, she doesn't want to see you.."_**

_"Huh?"_

**_"I'm sorry, Hihara - kun.. But, she was quite vigil about that one request.."_**

_"I don't understand.."_

**_"We don't too.. Kahoko's been acting weird lately.. And to top it off, she's been asking for Tsukimori - kun a lot lately.."_**

Kazuki still felt his heart shred into pieces at what Nao and Mio said earlier.

**_And quite frankly, she doesn't want to see you.._**

_This is nonsense! _Kazuki clutched his bag tightly to his side.

_Of all people, it had to be Len!_

.

Len walked worriedly home. He was confused.

Kahoko had texted him a week before, asking if maybe he could come and visit her. See her cute bundle of joy.

_SHE asked HIM._

It hadn't helped that Mio and Nao explained to him that Kahoko was having one of those post-birth mood swings. That it could last FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

Yes, he liked Kahoko. He liked her _A LOT_!

But that doesn't explain anything!

_Maybe its a good karma? _he reasoned with himself.

HE hadn't gotten over the fact that mere days after saying, _"I'm sorry but I think we should be friends"_ to Kahoko, someone else would sweep her off her feet.

And _literally _at that!

Running his fingers over his cerulean hair, he heaved a heavy sigh.

_So much for waiting._

_So much for waiting for her._

.

Kahoko paced back and forth, agitated.

_What the heck does he want? _she bit her lower lip, making it bleed.

"What's wrong, Kaho - dear?" a voice behind Kahoko spoke suddenly, making her jump in fright.

"Oh!" turning around, she clutched her chest, "you scared me Mom!"

"Why in the world would I have scared you, darling?" her mom asked, eyebrows raised.

"I was just thinking.. Mio and Nao might've forgotten the things I had asked them to bring today.." Kahoko paced back and forth once more.

"You should stop worrying so much, Kaho - dear.." her mom sighed as she rolled her eyes in expectancy.

"But what if they DID forget it?" Kahoko mumbled to herself.

"They can bring it some other day.." her mom answered back with a giggle.

.

.

* * *

.

"So, tell me how your baby's doing?" the woman behind the gray desk asked as she started jotting down something on a piece of paper.

"She's okay." Kahoko shifted her baby's weight from her left arm to the right.

"Hm.. Name of the baby?" the woman nodded.

"Sakura Amiko.." Kahoko smiled brightly at her daughter as it chirruped at her.

"Okay then, please have her weighed and temperature taken. Then return to me.." the woman handed Kahoko a small card.

.

Kahoko clutched a in her hand Len's gift.

A small silver eighth note key-chain her mom couldn't help but admire.

_**"I've got to admit, Len's always has style!" **_her mom bobbed up and down in delight at Len's choice of gift for Kahoko, specially since Kahoko shared the same passion as her mom.

Playing the piano.

Now, Kahoko clutched Len's gift near her heart as she waited for her baby's name to be called out.

**Hepa-B. **Kahoko looked down at the card she clutched as she sat waiting in line.

She looked up as the huge white door creaked open and out came a woman older than herself carrying a baby not so older than her Sakura Amiko.

"Hino!" and out came a tall man with golden hair, holding a huge brown envelope, bright green eyes scanning the area and landing on Kahoko as she stood up.

"Please follow me.." the man smiled at Kahoko as she nodded nervously.

Once inside the room, Kahoko relaxed at one of the white chairs the man pointed at.

"So, what's your baby's name?" he asked as he checked off some syringe on top of a small refrigerator.

"Sakura Amiko.." Kahoko responded vaguely, and frowned as she watched the man stare at the piece of paper she knew bore her daughter's name.

"Girl or boy?" the man asked once more as he still held the paper in his hand.

"Girl.." Kahoko knew that her daughter's gender was also written down in the paper.

"Your name?" the man placed the envelope down on top of the wooden table just beside the ref.

"Kahoko Hino." she answered as her baby gurgled in her sleep.

"My name's Aoi Kaji.." he turned and faced Kahoko, "at your service.."

.

He watched as Kahoko walked out of the Health Center, embracing her daughter tenderly and affectionately.

_She is unusual._

That was the very first thing that crossed his mind.

He knew he saw her before the very moment he saw her walk inside the Center.

He could never forget that luscious red hair nor the glittering pair of golden eyes OR the soft and tender smile that always graced her gentle face.

The moment her eyes met his, he knew WHERE he saw her.

It was on a train ride back to Okinawa, when he decided he needed a breather from his hectic life.

He remembered vividly the glowing sunset that shone as the train stopped and he went inside and sat down where an old lady used to sit.

He sat just near her.

He recalled how the sunset cast a sparkling glow on her as it chugged on.

It made her scarlet hair burst into dancing red flames as the sun's rays hit it.

He had seen how her russet lashes hid her golden eyes that seemingly glowed like spun gold as the sun extended it warm light to it.

She wasn't looking at him but he was.

He was taken in by her beauty at that moment.

And at that moment, he wanted to know her. To be with her and to stay with her that moment on end.

It was then he decided he wanted to always see her, even if it was just a few moments on that train.

He wanted to watch her beauty even at a distance.

So he began riding the train at that same time, praying and hoping that she would be there at the same carriage.

But faith had seemingly other plans.

He never saw her again, until now.

Now that she has a baby.

But all the same, she was still like the very first time he saw her.

Still breathtakingly beautiful.

_**"My name's Aoi Kaji, at your service."**_

.

* * *

.

.

Kahoko instantly fell back on her green bed as soon as she changed her clothes.

_He's VERY weird... _kept on popping in her brain as soon as she tried to shut it down.

After leaving the center, Kahoko's brain felt like a piece of soggy vegetable at the encounter with that Aoi Kaji nurse.

"Sure he's handsome!" Kahoko mumbled to herself tiredly as she swept off a piece of curly lock on Sakura's angelic sleeping face.

Looking at her daughter's face made Kahoko's heart twinge with pain.

_He looks exactly like him.. _Kahoko felt uneasy.

She knew that as soon as Sakura starts growing up, she would be a female version of Azuma, and knowing that one true fact did not make her happier.

It was making her insane.

The very moment Sakura's locks started growing and forming colors, she, Kahoko, started panicking. Her parents were sure to notice it.

Who wouldn't notice it even if its just a second's glance that Sakura's luscious hair was magenta? When her mother had flaming red hair.

Only the color blind would make such stupid mistake.

And it made her heart break even further with every second she spent with Sakura because she had the exact same lips as Azuma.

"Gaaahhhh!" Kahoko smacked her head.

Even though its almost a year now since she last saw Azuma, she still can't believe she's deeply affected by him.

By EVERYTHING that went on between them.

Kahoko closed her eyes as she embraced Sakura's tiny body closer to her.

_I wish.._

_._

_._

* * *

.

.

Azuma sipped his wine languorously, he watched the sitcom in front of him without the least bit attention.

_Third time this week. _was all that ran inside his beautiful head.

As he tilted his goblet left and right, a sudden flash of scarlet hair appeared in his vision, making him sit up straighter and look around him.

_What the f*ck! _he thought out in panick.

He would and could most definitely classify his vivid vision, making him snap back into reality.

Was this really the price of him dumping the girl who carried his first-born and disappearing? Is he now being revved back by karma for what he did?

_No. _Azuma shook his head, making his silky smooth lavender locks sway with the motion.

_She is just my little entertainment and nothing more!_

.

.

Kazuki felt his hands turn lead as he watched a short video his classmates made during their 5 years of being classmates.

He can feel his breath get stuck somewhere in his lungs and he can't breath.

More like he WON'T breath.

It was sheer torture just watching an entire 30 minute clip with Kahoko in one 3 minute-long shot.

SHEER TORTURE!

He can feel the hair on his back pricking his shirt as he sat there transfixed, gazing as Kahoko's video seemed to elapse more than 3 minutes.

He refused to participate in the making of this short video and now he was paying the price.

_Kahoko shouting in the sidelines as their college dance group battled it on during a university anniversary._

_Kahoko offering a set of oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies to Len._

_Kahoko sitting under the blaring sun as they sketched the chapel._

_Her frowning as she glued together a piece of design during their Christmas party._

_Her blushing as Len gave her one of his sketches._

_Her lips slightly parted as Len helped her during one of their last classes in Design._

_Her eyes glittering with intense happiness as she sat on the balcony of their school with Len._

_CRAP! _Kazuki wanted to shout out loud as hell became a reality.

Of course he knew Kahoko had something for Len.

_'HAD' _Kazuki rephrased in his head.

He HAD heard a rumor that Len turned down Kahoko after she had confessed her feelings for him.

And as the rumors said, Kahoko broke down into pieces.

Until Ryoutaro came into the picture.

_AAAGGHHH! _Kazuki mentally berated himself.

Everytime he thought about Len and Kahoko, Ryoutaro's name would pop up like some sick joke.

It was killing him already!

Why is it that only jerks were qualified to date Kahoko?

Is it because HE was too good to even make a move on her?

Was it because he was TOO chivalrous to even think of staining Kahoko's reputation?

She got he heart broken by that so-called-friend Len and now to that so-called-gentleman Ryoutaro!

How many so-called's will he have to LITERALLY endure before he gets a chance to even make a single "I like you" to Kahoko?

As Kazuki gritted his teeth at the video in front of him, Len's eyes narrowed at him.

He can read Kazuki's face like the back of his palm.

They weren't friends for nothing.

And right now, Kazuki was seething with jealousy over something.

As if on cue, Kazuki's eyes met Len's in an angry glare, making Len's brows furrow.

_Thanks for this love-triangle, Kahoko! _Len murmured despondently to himself.

_._

**Walking along the rows and rows of toys at the toy shop, Ryoutaro stopped at a particular display as he caught sight of a redhead.**

**Walking backwards, he ducked after the third aisle display and pretended to check the toys on display as he kneeled down and watched the redhead.**

**_"Kahoko?" _he murmured as indeed, he saw Kahoko on the stuffed toy's section, holding a particular stuffed penguin, her lips parted in a smile.**

**Gazing at her, Ryoutaro noticed how she changed.**

**Where her usual straight hair was now replaced by long curly one's.**

**She also looked particularly taller.**

**Her dress was more stylish than before. Her white fitted blouse showed off her more womanly curves and her fitted jeans made his mouth water, remembering the times he would caress her soft and smooth legs.**

**Standing up, Ryoutaro made a short prayer before slowly yet surely approaching Kahoko.**

**He had not gone more than ten paces when a sudden thought stopped him.**

**Kahoko was pregnant the last time he checked.**

**Where was her baby now? Surely Kahoko wasn't that a bad parent to leave her child behind as she went on shopping around.**

**As far as he knew, Kahoko loves kids of all ages.**

**Where was her own kid now? **

**As if on cue, a loud manly voice shouted at the top of the escalator, just beyond Kahoko.**

**"Kaho!" the man's voice called out loud, followed by a tinkling voice of a little girl.**

**"Mama!" **

**His eyes rounded with fear, Ryoutaro stepped back and hid behind a huge display of Disney merchandise as he watched the scene in front of him.**

**He knew that man. He was Kazuki, Kahoko's friend when she was in college.**

**Kazuki, the man who made Kahoko happy.**

**Kazuki, the man who had stolen Kahoko's heart while he was busy with work.**

**Kazuki.**

**Rooted on the spot, Ryoutaro watched as Kahoko kissed Kazuki full on the mouth, while the little girl with curly magenta hair gurgled happily at their feet.**

**"Mama! Papa! Stop it!" the little girl poked Kahoko in the leg.**

_**Papa, is it? **_**Ryoutaro bitterly thought.**

**"Ooops!" Kahoko unlocked her lips from Kazuki as she greeted her daughter happily.**

**"You did not even greeted me!" the little girl pretended to wail as Kazuki laughed.**

**"Sorry baby.." Kahoko hugged her daughter and planted her a very warm and sweet kiss.**

**"PAPA!" the little girl giggled as Kazuki grabbed her by the armpit and raised her in his shoulders.**

**"You spoil her too much, Kazu darling.." Kahoko pinched Kazuki in the cheeks.**

**_Kazu? Darling? _Ryoutaro stood there with disbelief.**

**"Why shouldn't I? She's my little baby too, isn't she?" Kazuki happily looked at the little girl's eyes as he placed her down.**

**"Mama, do you love Papa a lot?" the little girl asked in her tiny sweet voice.**

**"Of course! I love Papa soooo much!" Kahoko bent down and ruffled her daughter's hair.**

_**More than you loved me? **_

**"Papa, do you also love Mama very much?" she looked at Kazuki.**

**Bending down, Kazuki planted a kiss on the little girls head, "I love Mama so much, that's why I'm your Papa..." **

**All of a sudden, all three of them looked at where Ryoutaro stood.**

**"Goodbye, Ryoutaro."**

***BRRIIIINNNGGGG!***

Instantly waking up, Ryoutaro panted hoarsely, as if he had run in a marathon.

He felt his cold sweat dripping down his body, making him shiver.

He was having this nightmares for the past 5 months already and he was already going insane just thinking about it.

Although they were just a figment of his damn imagination, he can still feel how real they seemed to be.

_._

"Sakura - chan!" Tooya's loud playful voice invaded Kahoko's room as he strode inside, still in his office attire.

Gurgling happily, Sakura reached out her hand to Tooya, making Kahoko smile at their closeness.

"I could be a dad now.." Tooya joked at Kahoko as he tickled Sakura, making her giggle.

Looking away, Kahoko avoided her brother's eyes, feeling her eyes wet with pain.

"Hey! I was asking you..." Tooya turned to look at Kahoko, but saw her face turned in the opposite way.

"You don't have to show me that face, Kaho - chan. I'm not your older brother for nothing.." Tooya held Sakura closer to him as she sucked her thumb.

"You won't understand-"

"What don't I understand?" Tooya spoke painfully, "-I watched you fall for that Etou Kiriya when we were just in grade school. I watched you watch him as he went out with Minami Mori when you started highschool. I watched you-" he looked away as Sakura reached out to touch a button from his clothes.

"That was nothing." Kahoko spoke coldly, making Tooya look up at her.

"Nothing what? The hurt you felt was nothing? How do you think I feel as your brother?" his voice started getting stone cold.

"Mind your own business."

"NO!" Tooya gritted his teeth as he looked down at his sister, 23 years of taking care and loving his little sister glistened in his golden eyes.

"What's wrong up there?" their mom shouted, making the siblings jump in surprise.

"NOTHING!" they both shouted back in unison.

"Okay! Come down then, its dinner time!"

"You should go down and change, Onii-san." Kahoko took Sakura from Tooya, her arms flailing as she tried to grab Tooya's shirt.

"Later, kiddo.." Tooya ruffled Sakura's hair as he prised her hands away.

.

"Kahoko.." Kazuki mumbled as he snored on his table.

"Kahoko.." he mumbled still.

"Do you think we should wake him up?" Mio looked at Nao who was busy sighing and shrugging her shoulders as Kazuki kept on repeating Kahoko's name.

"Wake him up." a cold voice spoke behind the two girls, revealing the ice prince, Len Tsukimori.

"Ehh?" Mio looked at Nao as she cocked up and eyebrow at Len's sudden iciness.

"What's wrong, Tsukimori?" Nao heaved once more, sensing impending disaster.

"Not-"

"Nothing what?" came Kazuki's voice.

"I see your awake." Len glared down at him.

"As if you ever cared about me, your supposed FRIEND!" Kazuki bit out every word.

"I do..." Len turned his back on him, "or atleast I think I did.."

"You do what?" Kazuki stood up, pushing back his chair.

"Guys! Keep it down! I know its just the four of us here at the classroom right now, but there's no reason to do this!" Mio tried to sush the two.

"I'm going." Len turned around and walked away from the three of them.

"Better!" Kazuki retorted back as he returned to his sleep.

...

**_You held Her_**

_today, I saw you_

_I saw you and her._

_You know she's my friend_

_A very GOOD friend._

_I saw your smile_

_as your faces got caught by the camera._

_You were smiling_

_the smile that I always loved._

_You are smiling as if_

_she's the one that matters a lot._

_I saw the way your bodies_

_reacted to one another._

_I know the two of you_

_won't admit to your feelings._

_I know the two of you_

_would feel guilty betraying me._

_I looked closely_

_and guess what I saw?_

_I saw your hand_

_holding her shoulders._

_Holding her shoulders_

_just like the way you held mine's._

_Is it just a coincidence_

_that you are doing the same thing?_

_Or have your feelings for me_

_come and gone too?_

_I want to stop my tears_

_I want to stop my pain._

_I want to stop my heart_

_from beating just the same._

_I want to cry so hard_

_I want to smile so bad._

_I just want you to be with me_

_beside me at all times._

_I can't stop my tears_

_I won't stop my heart._

...

* * *

**No more PREVIEW! I hate PREVIEWS on my part! I should just write what comes into my MIND! **


	9. Chapter 8: The Words I wished you Heard

**Author's Note: hahaha! Sorry of the SUPERDUPERLATE updates! been reading manga's lately.. Been absorbed so much in it.. My sibs wanted to stab forks and knives in my brain for the late nights in front of the laptop reading manga's. But then they remembered if they did that, they would lose the only person who washes the dishes, their clothes.. sweeps the floor (plus mops it up).. cleans the bathroom (up and down)... removes bedsheets and curtains and pillow cases... manages the house bills.. cooks lunch and dinner (breakfast is on my other sis)... takes care of the kids (plus my own!).. picks up my little niece from kindergarten (5 minute ride from our place)... personal keeper of my older brother... and a lot more.. **

**I do believe that if I die, those lucky fools would bawl out their eyes since I do every task around the house! ahahah! totally dependent on me! and I'm the youngest at that! hahaha!**

I do not own La Corda D'oro, but my story plot is original.

**Chapter 8: The words I wish you heard**

* * *

.

.

_._

_Love doesn't work with only one person._

_If you're alone, then that's just sad._

_Love can't exist,_

_if there's only one of you._

_._

_Ryoutaro! _

_Ryputaro! _

_Ryoutaro! _

_Ryoutaro! Why did you leave me?_

_I thought you said you love me! _

_RYOUTARO!_

Instantly sitting up, Ryoutaro gasped as he clutched his chest.

This was his nightmare # 65 for the past 5 months already.

As his other hand clutched his wet blanket (due to sweating), he felt drops of his sweat slide down from his head down to his chest.

_What a fool! _he covered his mouth as a sad laugh escaped his mouth.

As he looked up, he caught sight of himself at the mirror on the wall opposite his bed.

As he gazed at it with his cold and lonely eyes, a figure hazily materialized out of nowhere.

A female figure he would forever know and crave.

He felt his body shake with unwanted sobs as the imaginary figure twine it arms around him and kiss his neck.

He wanted to believe everything he's seeing was real as its slender legs hug him from behind.

He felt the hot tears stinging his eyes as it let loose.

_Kahoko._

How badly he wanted to have Kahoko.

How badly he wanted to just throw away every ounce of pride and moral he has and reach out to Kahoko.

Kahoko.

The only girl he has ever felt this intense desire to be succumbed to.

But he had let her slip away from his grasp.

He had heard from her mouth how cruel and calculating her brother was when it came to her.

But he never knew as to WHAT extent he could be to Kahoko.

He had asked her once if there was any romantic entanglement between the two siblings, but she said a definite 'no'.

Ryoutaro's body racked as he felt all the pain he tried to bury underneath his cold facade burst out, and Kahoko's imaginary figure burst out into tiny pieces of memory.

.

.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

.

Drunkenly walking home, Ryoutaro cursed and bellowed at himself, earning disgusted looks from his neighbors.

In that moment of drunken stupor, he took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" a manly voice answered at the third ring.

"Yo! Are you Kahoko's brother?" Ryoutaro slurred out.

"Yeah, what about it?" the man's voice instantly sounded on guard.

"I take it you are Ryoutaro?"

"Yeah? And so what?" Ryoutaro brazenly answered back.

"Its that pathetic and sadistic Azuma Yunoki's fault that I can't spend my birthday with your sister! He took her away from me! He stole your sister from me! Do you know how much it broke me apart when I found out that some stupid moron took her away? Do you know how much my heart crashed?" Ryoutaro angrily let out as Kahoko's brother listened quietly from the other side of the phone.

"And now your sister is about to give birth to that bastard's son! Do you know how much it hurts!"

"Can't you at least let her see me! She's already a freaking mom now! She can take care of herself!"

"And why would I do that?" Kahoko's brother smirked on the other end.

"Do you really think I'd let some stupid scoundrel like you and that man take my precious sister? After all that I have gone through to retrieve her broken spirit? Do you honestly think I'd be stupid enough to let someone steal her again?"

Totally lost now, Ryoutaro felt a pain in his chest as each and every word Kahoko's brother uttered pierced his heart like a thousand needles.

"I'm telling you now not to see my sister again... or there'll be retribution. Good bye!" and with a click, Ryoutaro heard the other end die.

.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

* * *

.

.

Ryoutaro soon admitted defeat and stopped calling and making any means of contact with Kahoko, despite her pleadings and cries.

Smiling sadly to himself, he knew that Kahoko was somewhere out there, hating him right now for abandoning her.

But she has her brother, aside from that, he's terrified what could happen if he stuck around with her.

He's not exactly the most suited man for her.

_Kahoko._

.

"You should stop moping there.." Mio's voice drifted over the phone.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Mio - chan!'' Kahoko wiped a tear from her eyes.

"Good thing nobody but you and Saku - chan are home.. Otherwise..." Mio trailed on as she twitched with the pain from her hands.

"I know..." Kahoko answered weakly.

"Can't you just move on?" Mio asked hesitantly.

"I can.. but right now, I still can't.."

"Is that why you hadn't asked Hihara to come over the last time we were there?"

"Yeah.."

"Hihara's a good guy.. Why won't you-"

"Its not that.. My heart just won't.. won't... won't allow him to come closer.."

"Kaho.."

"Its like a double-edged sword is piercing my heart! I can't stop deciding!"

"Kaho..."

"And no matter what I try to say to myself, I know he's not that conceited to just leave me so suddenly!"

"Kaho.."

Sobbing as she held Sakura in her arms, Kahoko wiped her face in Sakura's little towel.

"Its late already.. You've got work tomorrow. Talk to you next time.." Kahoko abruptly spoke.

"Yeah.. Next time.." Mio agreed, clicking the phone off.

"Next time.."

_Please tell Kahoko I'm sorry.. I hadn't had time to say to her I love her._

"Yeah, next time.." Mio closed the letter Ryoutaro mailed to her.

.

"So, I was wondering if you're free tomorrow night.. Its Saturday night, right?" a pretty girl with waist-length brown hair stood closer to him as she asked him pitieously.

"Uh.." Kazuki looked everywhere but the girl inching closer to him, "..sorry but I already have something coming up with a good friend, Aya.. Why don't you ask out Yuuto?" he pointed at the tall grey haired guy chatting animatedly at one of the guys in the office.

"Hmph! You already declined atleast a dozen of my request to go out with you.. Don't you like me?" Aya ended suggestively, trying to show Kazuki her curves.

"Ah.. Its just that-ahh.." Kazuki tore his eyes away from Aya's feminine figure, "..I'm already with somebody.." he blurted out.

_Crap! _

"Huh?" Aya blinked once then twice, her eyebrows soon twitching suspiciously.

"How come we never see her go out with you?" she sniffed.

"That's.. ah.. that's because she's taking care of.. ahh... taking care of our daughter.." Kazuki ended nervously.

_Damn it! _

"You.. you? You have a daughter already?" Aya's voice asked in surprise.

"Ha ha ha! Surprising isn't it?" Kazuki grinned boyishly, thankful that Aya-the-irritating-officemate bought it.

"Oh.. such a shame.." Aya sighed as she was about to walk away, when she suddenly stopped, making Kazuki sweat unexpectedly.

"Wait a minute!" Aya's piercing gaze directed at Kazuki, "..if she has your baby, then you are married?"

"N-YES!" Kazuki can almost feel his heart literally stop beating as he knew Aya was on him.

"Hm.. I see.."

_No good! No good! No good!_

_._

"You what?" Nao and Mio's hands stopped in mid-air as they were about to drink their milkshake.

"I don't know what else to say!" Kazuki shook his head and banged it in the coffee table.

"She was practically on to me!"

Looking at one another, a sudden glint appeared on Mio and Nao's eyes.

_Perfect opportunity! _their minds both read.

"We can actually help.." Nao started, making Kazuki's head snap up excitedly.

"You will? So, which one of you are going to play as Kahoko?" Kazuki eagerly asked.

"Leave it to us!"

.

"I think that suits you just fine!" Azuma smiles down on his girlfriend, Ayano as she blushed scarlet under Azuma's penetrating stare.

"You think so, Azuma - kun?" Ayano looks down on her toes, unable to meet his eyes.

"I think so-" he stopped as blood rushed up to his face.

There standing mere feet away from the two of them was Kahoko.

Oh he knew it was her.

Her red hair was unique as her bubbly and sweet voice.

And what made his entire body freeze was the little girl Kahoko was holding.

She had curling magenta hair that looked nearly the same shade as his.

Her lips were also the same shape as his.

The only difference was that her eyes were golden yellow.

As he stood there to what felt like forever, his heart twinged with pain and regret.

His daughter was VERY beautiful.

Like a living version of Kahoko and him.

In that infestimal moment, his hands wanted to reach out and take a hold of the softness of his daughter's skin.

He wanted to smell the baby talcum he knew Kahoko peppered their child.

He wanted to inhale the sweetness he knew their daughter had inherited from her mother.

But in that split second moment, the thought vanished as a very handsome man stepped next to Kahoko, wrapping a protective arm around her with his smiling face directed at the little girl.

His hands that were about to reach out for the little girl dropped like lead on Ayano shoulders who was looking at Azuma in an odd way.

"Are you okay, Azuma - kun?" Ayano peered hopefully at the tall Azuma.

Looking at Kahoko and the man beside her, Azuma felt a sudden twist of pain in his heart.

"Yes, I'm fine.." Azuma plastered one of his fake smiles on his face once more.

"For a moment there, I thought you..." Ayano bit her lower lip as she looked closely at Azuma's face.

"Its nothing..." Azuma smiles once more down at Ayano, but his ears were tuned in to Kahoko and the mysterious guy.

"So, Kaho.." Azuma's ears tingle at the tenderness of the voice.

"Let's move there, shall we, Takashino - chan?" Azuma unknowingly calls Ayano by her last name, making her frown as he tugged her arms a few more feet closer to where Kahoko stood so he can listen in.

"Come here, Sa- chan!" the man playfully extends her arms to Kahoko's baby.

"O-" Kahoko was about to speak when the man's finger silenced her.

"For once, please call me by my birth-name, Kahoko.." he murmured in her ears, making her giggle.

"OKay, okay.. Tooya - kun!" Kahoko brightly pokes Tooya's shoulder.

Azuma blankly nods to Ayano's choices of things as she shoves one after another under his nose, trying to gain his attention.

_Azuma! _Ayano mutely calls out to her boyfriend as he still looks spaced out in front of him.

"So, where shall we go, my little Sa - chan?" Tooya nods up and down in front of Sakura's angelic face.

Gurgling happily up at her uncle, Sakura slaps him in the face, making his face fall in disappointment.

"What did you teach my little daughter?" Tooya glares at Kahoko's shocked face.

"Ehh.." Kahoko giggles again, as Sakura continually slaps Tooya's face and then pulls a wad full of his scarlet hair.

"Ha ha ha!" Kahoko clutches her stomache at the adorable scene.

_"What did you teach my little daughter?" _Tooya's words rang like a dozen earsplitting tin cans in Azuma's ears.

_Little-daughter...? _his hands shook as he clutched a particular scarf Ayano had placed in his hands.

"Azuma.." Ayano's voice called out to him from a distance.

"Kahoko..?" Azuma whispers as his vision of Ayano was blurred by Kahoko's smiling face looking up at him.

.

Tooya had seen him the very moment he returned beside Kahoko's side.

He had seen his face already, the day he had checked up on Kahoko's online activities.

She had checked out his profile in Friendster for what seemed like every day.

The very moment he saw his pictures, Tooya wanted to punch Azuma in the face and bury his fist in his mouth.

Now, looking at him as he watched him stare long and hard at Kahoko, he felt a savage feeling of pleasure.

Of course, anyone who would look at Kahoko now, would just end up staring at her.

She was completely and evidently breathtaking.

And thanks to Sakura, Kahoko looked even more blooming and mature.

Acting as if lovers was the only way he could smack Azuma in the face after all the things he had put his sister through.

It wasn't really hard on him since the two of them were often mistaken to be lovers.

Indeed, a lot of their close relatives would often ask their parents whether Kahoko was seeing him (referring to himself of course!), and a lot of them would give out an embarrassed cough when they're told that they are siblings.

And right now, it seems his plan worked.

_Without Kahoko's knowledge of course._

He was VERY thankful Kahoko chose that very moment to act her very bubbly and oblivious self. If not, the plan would've backfired and he would have received Kahoko's deathly slap.

But of course, Kahoko could NEVER refuse him.

He has one slick trick up his sleeve that he knew Kahoko would never ever think twice in telling him.

If not for the fact that he had read Kahoko private messages with her friends, he would've never known.

The moment he had read those simple words straight from Kahoko himself, he felt an odd sensation in his stomache.

_Mio - chan! I'm very much inlove with Onii - san! I don't know why!_

And now, he was using that little trick of his to make Azuma suffer.

And he WILL suffer.

.

"Tell me again, WHY am I here with you?" a cold and bored voice drawled as he watched his older cousin pick out one toy to another, while clutching a pink paper bag with the other hand.

"I didn't ask you to join me. You're free to leave." Aoi Kaji answered back

"I thought you were meeting up with an awesomely hot chick 'cuz!" the other guy grinned, flipping his hair in the most suave way, making a couple of passing saleslady giggle and blush.

"I don't need to be like you, Etou. I'm fine the way I am." Aoi shook his head at his cousin's playboy antics.

"By the way, why are you making this much effort on that girl you like? You aren't even a couple yet!" Etou mocked glance at his older cousin.

"Its got nothing to do with you.." Aoi answered, looking at a certain doll.

"Well, if its you, probably I SHOULD care.." Etou smirked, "...especially since it looks like she's just using you.."

"And what about you? Shouldn't girls be more afraid of you?" Aoi countered.

"Why should they be? With my handsome looks and devilish smile, no one can resist me!" and with that, Etou proved his point by throwing a gentle smile on a passing lady.

Sighing to himself as the lady blushed red and scurried off, Aoi returned to his gift-picking chore.

"Why can't you just find a decent girl and be a one-man woman?"

"Aww! That'll kill the happiness in me!" Etou barked with laughter.

"Whatever.. You weren't like that before you entered college.." Aoi gave a flicker of concern.

"Yeah.. Well, people change.. But most don't.." Etou gave a meaningful glance at Aoi.

"I have my reason.." Etou scratched his chin.

"And that would be?" Aoi asked.

"What happened to your old crush anyway? The one in grade school?"

"Yeah... well, she's the teacher's youngest daughter. So basically, she's more of off limits.."

"Then why didn't you pursue her in high school and college?"

"Well, her brother's VERY scary.. Enough about me, what about you mysterious love?" Etou changed the topic and made strange hand gestures at Aoi.

"Ha ha! That was quick." Aoi dryly commented at Etou serious face.

"Come on, told you my past life, you should squeal some of yours.." Etou slapped Aoi playfully on the back.

"She.. She's very beautiful..." Aoi stopped at what he's doing and Etou saw warmth in his eyes.

_Must be serious._

"She must be one hell of a chick if you can speak with your brains unattached.." Etou joked.

Grinning boyishly at him, Aoi chuckled.

"Yeah. Well, the moment I first talked to her, I made a complete fool of myself and acted like a little boy.."

"Ha ha ha! Wish I was there!" Etou laughed, making Aoi blush red.

"You're making fun of me..." Aoi smiled sheepishly at Etou.

"I should meet her in person, to see if she can also make me speechless!" Etou wiped his mouth.

"Sure! Just don't steal her away.." Aoi nodded seriously at him.

.

"Don't you think you're way beyond the age to finally settle down and have kids?" the man leaned back on his chair as he watched a younger version of himself rifle through some papers.

"Father, you know that I have no time to date anyone. Much more settle down and have kids." the man threw at his father, eyes still focused on his work.

"Kira, I want a grandchild, not billions. Admittedly your work is bringing in money, but I don't want to die not having seen my grandkids." the man sighed in sadness at his sons stubbornness.

"If I have the time, I will." Kira spoke through gritted teeth as he gave in, just to quit his old man's pestering.

"Really? That's wonderful! We've already arranged a date with this girl later this week. You can just pop in and check her out." the older man happily chirped on as he relaxed against the soft chair.

Brows creasing, Kira forced a smile, "..you make it sound like I'm just there to purchase something. Since is your goddamn idea, shouldn't you ATLEAST show some respect?"

"Oho! Never mind me! Just appear on the day! I'll mail you the invites.." and with that, Kira's father walked out of the room, skipping as he did so.

Shaking his head, Kira returned to his paperwork.

.

"Yo! Hihara! Got a minute?" a voice called out as he was about to leave the slowly trickling empty office.

"Hey, Yuuto. Whassup?" Hihara high-fived the caller.

"Heard you've already got yourself a wifey..." Yuuto grinned at the tall limed-haired man in front of him.

Rubbing the back of his neck nervously, Hihara let loose a shaky laughter.

"He.. Ye-yeah. I suppose so.."

"Just my luck!" Yuuto made a victory shout as he kept on thumping Hihara in the back.

"I've been meaning to ask Aya for AGES but she keeps on saying she likes you!"

Heaving a sigh of relief, Hihara hitched a perfectly happy and congratulatory smile at Yuuto.

"Man! CONGRATULATIONS!"

.

...

* * *

**No more PREVIEW! I hate PREVIEWS on my part! I should just write what comes into my MIND! **


	10. Chapter 9: The Promise we made

**Author's Note: sorry for all the late updates. . . I know. . . do I sound WEIRD? -_- . . because yes, I am. . I just underwent some serious personal problems. . . . and I don't think its nice to mix my own personal pain with my love pain . . . **

**I seriously need to take a break and leave this house for a month. . . . will anyone sponsor my vacation? lol . . .**

**Enjoy this update!**

**OH WAIT! ! ! ! ! ! ahahahaha! ! ! ! ! **

**I wanna dedicate this chappy to Kasumisou-nee. . . who made me cry tears of. . UTTER JOY. . . . **

**Ganbatte!**

I do not own La Corda D'oro, but my story plot is original.

.

.

**Chapter 9: The promise we made**

* * *

.

.

_._

_I want to hold your hands.._

_To be beside you as we fade away._

_But I'm selfish and I've hurt you.._

_So for now..._

_._

* * *

.

Kahoko rolled over her tummy as Sakura hit her face with her chubby fists.

"Baby, knock it out..." she lazily mumbled, groaning as Sakura now aimed for her hair and pulled it.

"Ma ma! Ba ba!" Sakura giggled, pulling more hair.

"Okay, okay! I get you!" Kahoko sighed, faced her daughter and removed her jammies.

"Nice to know that atleast one person can make you get out of bed, Kaho.." Tooya grinned as he watched Kahoko fumble with Sakura's pj's.

"Yeah.. same to you..." Kahoko murmured, replacing the diaper with a new one before getting Sakura to her feet and toodling off to Tooya.

"Come to uncle!" Tooya stretched out his arms, a wide grin on his face.

"Just feed her and return her here..." Kahoko hid under the blanket and dozed off once more.

"I swear your mommy is killing herself with chores.." Tooya smirked as he carried Sakura downstairs.

"Now, breakfast is in order!"

.

.

Cursing as he packed his stuff, Etou threw dagger looks at his unsuspecting cousin Aoi, who at that moment was busy with his phone.

_Of all the darn people he HAD to be dating! _Etou cursed once more and threw a disgusted look at the still unaware Aoi.

"Tell me, what was Kahoko like back then?" Aoi's eyes still glued to his phone.

"..like I'll tell you..." Etou mumbled angrily to himself.

"I mean, its such a wonderful coincidence you two know each from way...back..." Aoi stopped.

Stopping too, Etou suddenly realized something.

...

_"What happened to your old crush anyway? The one in grade school?"_

_"Yeah... well, she's the teacher's youngest daughter. So basically, she's more of off limits.."_

_"Then why didn't you pursue her in high school and college?"_

_"Well, her brother's VERY scary.. Enough about me, what about you mysterious love?" _

...

Cold swept up along Etou's spine as he recalled the conversation they had when Aoi was picking up a gift for Kahoko.

"Seems funny...that..." Aoi's voice sounded distant and hollow.

_Gahhh! _Etou mentally battled himself out.

_You are SO stupid Etou! _he berated himself.

"Isn't it... a bit weird..." Aoi continued his stopping sentences. Aware of the nervous air between himself and Etou.

"It will be even MORE weird if you don't stop that mid-sentence thing-y.." Etou drily retorted, resorting to packing even more quickly.

"Is that why you suddenly wanted a change of scenery?" Aoi now faced him, his eyes glowing like frozen jades as they met Etou's golden orbs.

"Nothing to do with THAT!" Etou's voice sounded too high-pitched for him, and so did to Aoi.

"Why not extend your stay here... I'm sure we can accommodate you longer.." and with that, Aoi left his seat and left the room, leaving an awkward air behind him.

_STUPID!_

.

.

"Still no work..." Ryoutaro flopped on his bed, watching his father rummage amongst the dirty clothes.

"I keep on telling you months ago to search for a job..." sighing, his old man shook his head dismally.

"But you keep on pondering over your ex-girlfriend..."

"Sorry dad..." Ryoutaro closed his eyes, but still, Kahoko's face kept on luring him to the abyss of sadness.

"You know... I think its okay if you start dating out other girls... like our neighbor Shizuka, for instance..."

"Daaddd..." Ryoutaro grimaced as he faced his father, "..we dated when I was just in my 20's and she was just 14... How awkward is that?"

"You...dated already?" his father stopped and faced him with eyebrows raised in shock.

_Damn! _

"Errr... I just remembered I have somewhere to go... Don't wait up for me..." leaving before his father could ask some more, Ryoutaro banged the door close and hurriedly walked off to the train station.

_Damn!_

.

.

Sinking into his reclining chair, Len sighed and closed his eyes. Memories of the past kept on making his head throb and ache.

Just thinking of _HER _nauseates him.

"Why...why of all people did it have to be you?" he murmured to himself, his surroundings fading away as the past reconstructed itself like a small movie.

* * *

**.**

**FLASHBACK**

.

Laying out all the floor plans of their project, Len took out his pen and was about to write.

"So, is that it? Is that how you dump me and make me look stupid? Is that how you truly play?" a loud voice pierced through the thick wall of the room.

"Listen to me!" this time, a girl spoke up, and Len immediately knew who's voice it was.

"LISTEN? The last time I LISTENED was when you told me how much you love me and you didn't want to part with me! So tell me, which part should I LISTEN? Should I LISTEN to you as you tell me how much I lack as a boyfriend?" the other voice, _Ryoutaro I suppose _, thought Len angrily burst out.

"Listen to me!-" but suddenly a huge crash vibrated, making Len hastily push all of his things inside the plastic he used to carry his stuff and speed out of the room and to the next room.

"KAHOKO!" Ryoutaro's voice shouted.

Pushing the door open, Len saw the scene in front of him.

Kahoko lay sprawled on the floor, her legs twisted in a weird angle and her face all sweaty and flushed with Ryoutaro desperately rousing Kahoko to her senses.

"IDIOT!" Len shouted at Ryoutaro's panicked face, rushing to Kahoko's side and effortlessly picking her up.

"You goddamn idiot! Do you even KNOW what Kahoko's situation is? She's pregnant you MORON!" and with that, Len carried Kahoko out of the room, leaving Ryoutaro rooted to the spot.

"Damn damn damn!" Len cursed under his breath, heaving heavily as he positioned Kahoko in a manner which would not affect the baby in her womb.

"Hey! Len-" a voice shouted, turning around, Len saw Kazuki's happy face form into something Len could not even comprehend as he took Kahoko from him and ran towards the infirmary like Kahoko was light as a feather.

"OI! Kazuki!" Len shouted, running after him as fast as his already leaden feet could.

"KAZUKI!" Len shouted once more.

..

"DOCTOR! Please help Kahoko!" Kazuki plead to the middle-aged doctor on-call the infirmary.

"What happened to her?" she asked, immediately checking for Kahoko's pulse.

"She-ahh-fainted-ahh-ha ha ha..." Len bursted in, clutching his chest.

"I told you to wait.." he glared at the pale looking Kazuki.

"Is that so?" the doctor said, pointing Kazuki to the nearby bed.

"Can you tell me what happened?" the doctor asked once more, this time, looking at Len.

"She...err...had an argument with her boyfriend.." Len looked away, sadness tinged in his eyes.

"With...Ryoutaro..?" Kazuki whispered, his face downcast.

Looking at Kazuki, Len caught Kazuki's fist curled up, shaking with anger.

"Can you two please leave for a moment?" a voice intruded. Nodding, Kazuki and Len left the infirmary.

"WHERE'S KAHOKO!" a loud voice shouted along the corridor.

Swiveling around, both Len and Kazuki caught sight of a harried Ryoutaro walking quickly, arms laden with Kahoko's stuff.

Scowling, Kazuki walked up to him and punched him squarely on the face.

"DAMN YOU! DON'T YOU EVEN KNOW HOW DELICATE KAHOKO IS!" Kazuki punched once more, sending Ryoutaro sprawling on the floor, making people crowd around.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! What's going on here!" a voice ushered in, the Lady Guard.

"He pun-" Ryoutaro started.

"He's a trespasser!" Kazuki butted in.

"Oh ho ho ho! Trespasser, I see!" the lady guard grinned evilly.

"No! You got it all wrong!" Ryoutaro pleaded.

"Give that to me!" Kazuki grabbed Kahoko's stuff from Ryoutaro, "..even stealing my girlfriend's stuff! Just because she wanted you to stop stalking her!"

"What the-"

"Leave!" the guard shouted, sending the other students fleeing away.

Standing up, Ryoutaro glared at Kazuki before being escorted away by the guard.

"What the heck was that?" Len cocked an eyebrow at Kazuki.

Sighing, Kazuki gave Len a sheepish grin.

"I've always wanted to do that to him.."

"If Kahoko hears about what you did..." Len worriedly glanced at the infirmary door.

.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

**.**

* * *

Len knew his chances of going out with Kahoko was slim. . . but to be THAT slim, was really pissing him off.

"Kahoko... How do I tell you I love you... when I already broke your heart once..."

.

.

Ryoutaro walked around. Kicking pebbles along the way, reminding himself what it felt like to be a kid.

_I love you. . . . _

Of course, there was always something out there bound to make him grow up and realize he's a man already.

32 and still single.

_Single. . . _It would've been nice if he HAD been the father of Kahoko's daughter. He would've been so happy and so. . . . . PLEASED with the outcome.

He wouldn't be the one mother's would press their daughter against. . . and then take back their daughters when they find out the small detail of his UNEMPLOYMENT.

There it was again. .

UNEMPLOYMENT.

"Being 32 sucks..." Ryoutaro mumbled to himself, gazing along the horizon.

He has no love life, no sex life, no girlfriend... and ZERO JOB.

"How worse can I get?"

"Hahaha!" a soft laugh made Ryoutaro swing around, only to see a pair of lovers walk past him.

"And you say what?" the man smiled down on his girlfriend, happiness mirrored in his brown eyes.

"Hahaha!" _there you go again!_

Walking away before sadness engulfed him, Ryoutaro made his way to his favorite hang-out.

A karaoke bar... plus hot dancers.

"What would she say-" but stopped in the middle.

"Ahh... We already broke up and I still give a crap about her...!"

"Hey! Tsuchiura-kun!" a forced sweet voice called out to him.

"Hey! Miyabi!" rearranging his face to form a happy smile, he approached the voluptuous girl calling out to him.

"I thought I wouldn't see you again..." Miyabi pouted.

"Ahaha! Sorry about that... No money.." he shrugged, scratching his head.

"Ahaha..." Miyabi laughed along.

"I'll treat you...if you come to my place after work...for some...S & M..." Miyabi murmured, stroking Ryoutaro chest seductively.

Quirking an eyebrow, Ryoutaro managed a sloppy grin and gave a hesitant shrug.

"Sure.."

_Promise me you'll sleep only with me... Ryoutaro..._

.

.

"You do realize how OLD I'm getting Kira - kun..." papers dropped with a rather suggestive weight on the table.

"Father... I AM going on that date.. But please... you can't honestly expect me to MARRY the first girl?" Kira exasperatedly bit out, controlling his sarcasm.

"Kira... I want to see some grandchildren.. I'm old and.. dying..." he added after some thought.

"If you WERE ageing and dying, Dad, you wouldn't be out here playing Cupid with my personal life.." Kira barbed back, "..look Dad, I've got a board meeting in 15 minutes and lunch with your soiree... Can you disappear already?"

.

.

Kazuki sighed.

Then sighed again.

He was staring at the computer's monitor for the last 30 minutes, minus the many times his boss walked past him 3 times in the past 30 minutes, making him hastily pretend to be busy.

But he wasn't.

He was agitated and already shaking to the core.

After work, he was SUPPOSED to be meeting up his SUPPOSEDLY girlfriend who was SUPPOSED to be the mother of his SUPPOSEDLY child.

That was a lot of those _supposed-to-be_...

Both Mio and Nao promised him that they would be able to find a way for him out of his meddling office mate, Aya.

_But who was this KAHOKO they were going to 'pretend' to be on a date with him? _

He knows perfectly well that Kahoko going out on dates was out of the question...that is...if he manages to ACTUALLY convince her godly brother that...

_"Oh hey, Tooya - niisan! Can I ask your pretty sister out? You know I've been crushing on her for 4 years now.. So, can I?" _

He analyzed his sentence construction.

BEFORE he can even ask if he can ask Kahoko out, her brother would most probably glower at him for calling him with that suffix '_niisan_' ...

Then if he DID manage to be un-glowered by that handsome brother of her's, he would have to ready his face to be slapped by the same person for being blunt and calling Kahoko pretty.

"Well... she IS pretty..." Kazuki mumbled to himself, making doodling shapes with his Photoshop.

And if he does manage to be un-slapped by the said brother, next would be his neck and his heart. He'd most probably be strangled to death by the brother and his heart shred into pieces.

It wasn't even half of his fault for the way Kahoko's brother sudden rampage against the male populace, seeing as HE is also a male himself, after her being pregnant.

He couldn't even fathom why Tooya was being so possessive of his sister... to the point that he's starting to be the sun of her life.

Well... it was out of the question for him to think of Tooya being in love with Kahoko. That was OUT of the question.

That's INCEST!

"Hey there!" a voice popped out all of a sudden, making Kazuki jump from his sit.

"AYA!" he clutched his throat, afraid for that instant that it was their boss and he'd have to be guillotined now for sure.

"What were you doing out there staring into space?" she leaned forward, revealing a partially opened blouse of hers, showing her ample chest.

Immediately looking away, Kazuki pretended to be thinking about something.

_"She's not to be trifled with, Kazuki. She's spitting mad when she found out you were no longer available."_

_"You better watch out. She'll do anything to seduce you. Even if it meant she'd have to do something illegal."_

_"Her signature technique is luring a man in a field she knows they can't seem to resist: seduction."_

Remembering those words of advice, Kazuki gives a silent prayer that whoever will be appearing as his pseudo Kahoko would bring the truth home to Aya and finally make her give up...for his sake.

"I heard from the rumor mill that your soon-to-be wife is coming today... Don't you think its such a cliche? Her coming after just a few days of you telling me that fact?" Aya leaned in closer, forcing Kazuki to inhale her feminine scent...making him gag.

_Gahd! I can't stand that perfume of hers!_

"We're going out shopping today since she's going to Tokyo next week for a family event..." Kazuki held his breath; afraid of her smell and his lies.

"Oh really?" Aya's voice was laced with laughter at his obvious lie.

"I can't make it to that event since I have to be in Kyuushuu for my sister's wedding.." _another lie!_

"Oh... Then can I be your date for that wedding?" Aya smiled seductively, almost nose to nose with the scared Kazuki.

"Errr..." Kazuki gulped, when a sudden vibrating sound made him jump.

"He-hello?" he answered his phone clumsily.

"Kazuki - kun!" a soft tinkling sound giggled at the other end.

"Kaho - chan!" Kazuki smiled, his face instantly brightening up, sending a blush to his cheeks.

Cursing under her breath, Aya bit her lower lip in a jealous manner.

_That bitch! _Grabbing the phone from Kazuki, Aya's voice snapped viciously at Kahoko.

"Kahoko, is it? Why do you have to call your precious love if you two are going to see each other later?" Kazuki made some grabbing efforts while Aya pushed him away.

Kazuki's face crumpled in dismay as Aya's eyes narrowed with every word she heard come out from the other end of the line.

To what seemed like forever (which actually lasted 5 minutes), Aya returned Kazuki's phone and hissed and huffed.

Clutching to the phone like a life line, "hello, hello! Are you still there, Kaho - chan?"

"haha. . who was that wonderful person?" Kahoko laughed.

"Err..."

.

_"Kahoko, is it? Why do you have to call your precious love if you two are going to see each other later?"_

**_Why? Is it any of your concern?_**

_"You are one sly bitch!"_

**_Haha! Do you EVEN know me personally to call me that?_**

_"I know more than enough about you!"_

**_*tsk tsk* is that so? Then how come you didn't know Kazuki and I were dating? Shouldn't YOU be the one to be labeled as a BITCH for clawing on a man who has a family?_**

_"Why you!"_

**_Kazuki and I go way back.. And as far as I'm concerned, YOU are not in the picture of anything in our lives..._**

Aya bit her lower lip even more harder, making it bleed.

_That bitch! How dare she-!_

"I know, Kahoko..." turning around, Aya caught sight of a Kazuki smiling warmly and genially as he fiddled with the cord.

"That's why... I made that promise with you... That's how much I love you..."

...

* * *

**I'm going make hanging things for you guys. . . hahaha! ! ! because I'm too busy...*ehem*..rather, engrossed watching Tenimyu Dream Live 1st. . . its a Prince of Tennis Musical. . . haha! ! ! I'm so hooked! ! ! haha! ! ! so, I'll see you in my next update! hopefully.. . . haha! ! ! Go NagayaN! ! ! :)**


	11. Chapter 10: Before the Love Fades

**Author's Note: well. . . I'm really thankful to those who have reviewed me. . . My apologies if I've been quite the type to not mention you here. . . The fault lies with me since I have the tendency to forget everything else when I'm in the mood to write stories. . . . Its a bad habit I should start breaking. . . . . but sadly, can't seem to. . . *sighs*. . . **

**And if you might notice. . . some characters here that I added are REAL names. . . . *coughs* . . . more like Japanese actors name. . . almost all of the new names I have added are the people who did a live action of Prince of Tennis. . . . haha. . . you can say i'm addicted to it lately. . . . their songs are quite something and even if my Japanese is not that good, the emotions in the song transcends any language barrier. One good example would be 'Now and Forever' sung by the 1st cast of Tenimyu (Tennis Musical). . . **

**okay... that was like 3 minutes worth of commercial. . . haha. . sorry. . . *bows***

**Enjoy this update!**

I do not own La Corda D'oro, but my story plot is original.

.

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**Chapter 10: Before the love fades**

* * *

.

.

_._

_Let's say goodbye to tomorrow_

_Let's stop this charade and get a move on_

_Nobody said we have to stick to this_

_Because there'll come a time we'll be sick of this_

_So just step on something else tomorrow_

_And maybe we'll forget today had even happened_

_._

_._

_._

* * *

.

_"Haha! I can't believe you hooked her up when she's sleeping around with Sota - senpai!" grinning at the tanned Kotaro, Azuma smirked._

_"So, have the two of you met up already?" Kotaro munched on a cookie._

_"Maybe tomorrow?" Azuma poured another shot of wine._

_"Why not today?" Kotaro scratched his head._

_"Because she's out with Sota, that's why!" Azuma toasted, shaking his head as images of Sota's long slim legs wrapped around a female._

_"You, are SLOW!" Kotaro threw a towel at Azuma's face._

.

...

.

_Sota Aoyama looked around his surroundings._

_He was in Canada, on a business trip, and this one was not like the rest of his out-of-town trips._

_He left Japan with a heavy heart and a lover broken into pieces._

_Crumpling a piece of paper full of his schedules (a/n: he'll regret it later on), Sota sighed and plopped back unto his bed._

_As he closed his eyes, visions of a beautiful naked statue with flaming red hair danced in his imagination._

_She was underneath him, gasping in delight, moaning with pleasure and intoxicating him._

_But as soon as he remembered that red siren, he vanquished her all the same._

_She was the source of his misery._

_The source of his insanity._

_The source of his impure thoughts._

_Impure thoughts._

_That word made him chuckle deeply._

_As far as 'impure' would go, SHE was the most innocent looking devil he had encountered._

_Sure, he slept around a lot and dated even more._

_But that gold eyed, red-haired temptress surpassed all the others._

_The very first time he heard her voice, he was more than enthralled._

_Up til now, he can still feel her presence...her captivating voice summoning him to the depths of hell._

_Everything had been fast between them._

. . . .

_**"Hello, Takashi - san..." **her soft voice greeted the dj at the other end of the line._

**_"Hello to you to! What's your name?" _**_the funny and upbeat dj greeted back._

**_"You can call me Rie." _**_abandoning his drink, Sota immediately flipped his phone open, ready for the chance to get her number down._

**_"So, I guess you're here to pimp out your number, eh? By the way, you know, you sound very sexy and smooth. Haha!" _**

**_"Thanks, Takashi - san!" _**

**_"So, tell me more about yourself. What do you like to do? Do you enjoy hanging out? What are your hobbies?"_**

**_"Hmm... Well.. I'm a bookworm. I rarely go out since I'm not used to the night life. Also, I'm an architecture student. I love to draw. But I do enjoy eating out with friends.."_**

**_"Well... since you seem to be such a nice and lovely girl, what kind of guy do you like?" _**

**_"Hmm... I like the fair-skinned type. The kind who's easy to hang out with and loves cracking up jokes."_**

. . . .

_Sota pushed his hair away and reminisced how sweet she was on the phone._

_How caring and honest she was._

_Her innocence and simplicity overwhelmed him._

_But it was in bed that totally shook him._

_She was every man's fantasy._

_Her body was like a haven for man's sweetest dreams.. escapades and toxic moments._

_But..._

_Everything he had come to love about her was all a lie._

_She wasn't really all that innocent and sweet things._

_The more he had gotten closer to her, the more he realized she was two things at one._

_Underneath all those nice things was someone else waiting to cut his heart into pieces._

_She had, without preamble, dropped him from his life and moved on to her next target._

_**"Hey, Sota - senpai!" **Kotaro's happy voice boomed at the other end of the line._

_**"I said stop calling me, 'senpai', right? We're cousins dammit!" **Sota retorted irritatingly._

_**"Haha! Whatever! Kahoko and Azuma are dating..."**_

_And with that, the truth hit him hard._

_So, he left Japan and sought that out-of-town trip he had intentions of postponing and immediately departed._

_Grimacing, he remembered the last thing Kahoko told him before he left._

_"Sota. I'm pregnant, its not yours but you know whose it is."_

.

. . .

.

Azuma glanced absentmindedly at the scores of magazines laid in front of him.

Flipping his long lavender locks away from his face, he cast an amused smile at the dazzled saleslady attending to his soon-to-be wife.

His engagement was a fast one since Ayano had been a friend for a long time.

But he had a deep-seated guilt inside of him.

_A daughter he never acknowledged... and a lover he had abandoned out of fear of responsibility._

_Kahoko._

Kahoko had been such a mystery to him.

She had asked for his number from Kotaro and agreed to go on a date with him.

But she... she was two-timing him all that time.

She was sleeping around with Sota all those time he was going out on a date with her.

What bad luck and shit.

Thinking about her gives him shivers.

_Kahoko._

It had been almost 2 years already. What was she up to now?

The last he heard about her was she was romancing one of his cousins, Takashi Nagayama.

Sighing, Azuma threw the magazine down and leaned back.

"Kusho..." he hissed under his breath.

_Do you have a thing for pitting relative against each other, you wile bitch! _He murderously bit out, remembering what a smiling type of a person she was.

First it was Sota. Then it was him. Now it was Takashi.

"Azuma - kun.." a soft voice called to him.

Looking up, he smiled as he saw his fiance, smiling down at him, wearing the most revealing gown he could possibly imagine. There were tons of slits here and there.

_She should just go naked if she prefers such a flaunting dress. _He wryly thought to himself as his unaware fiance twirled on the spot.

"So, what do you think?" Ayano smiled sheepishly at the blank-faced Azuma.

Casting a surreptitious glance at the attendants, he saw them slowly back away at the dark glance he bestowed them.

"Ayano - san..." he started.

"I keep telling you to call me, darling..." she pouted and crossed her arms on her chest.

_You shouldn't be doing that... _he sighed as Ayano's womanly figure became even more womanly.

Staring at the pouting girl in front of him, a sudden image of Kahoko flashed in his eyes.

Her flaming red hair trailing into curls down her back, her face devoid of any makeup and her eyes smiling like warm amber at him.

_"How do I look now, Azu - kun?" _it felt so real as he recalled how she would fondly tease him by shortening his name.

But in his vision, Kahoko was not wearing something so revealing and sexy.

Her body was hugged rather warmly by a dress hand embroidered, glittering with sequins, making her look like a nymph and angel.

Her cascading red hair decorated the dress like a flowers thrown down from heaven.

"Kahoko..." he softly uttered to himself.

Sighing, Ayano returned to her dressing room.

_Her again... why can't you just forget about her?_

.

. . .

.

Twiddling around with a pen and paper, Kahoko let hair red hair fan down her back as she bit the end of the pen, deep in thought.

She was in deep mess!

Owing Kazuki so much, she agreed to Mio and Nao's plan to have her as his...

_Wait..._

_Was it girlfriend, fiance or wife?_

Kahoko sighed a huge one and banged her head repeated on her wooden table.

Phase one of their plan was to have Kahoko call Kazuki at the office, knowing that Aya (_"the bitch! She's really a bitch! Pushing poor Kazuki at the corner like a whipped dog! _like Mio and Nao fondly calls her) would be around, tailing Kazuki.

But she didn't expect to be IMMEDIATELY in contact with the said girl!

And now, she was to be expected at Kazuki's office after work.

How in the world would she be able to LEAVE the house without worrying her family?

But then, she remembered how sweet and nice Kazuki had been to her for such a long time... plus the fact she still likes him... _okay.. I'm really in a HUGE mess.._

"What you got there?" Tooya piped up behind Kahoko, brushing her long hair away for him to see.

"None of your business!" Kahoko retorted, crumpling the paper full of her thoughts about Aya-the-bitch and Kazuki-his-crush.

Shrugging, Tooya sat down on her bed and looked down at the sleeping Sakura, her mouth wide open.

"She sleeps a lot like you..." Tooya giggled, making Kahoko hit him in the head.

Laughing, Tooya held Kahoko by the wrist, to stop the next attack.

"Mom and Dad are going to Kaiba today. They'll be home tomorrow." he looked at her straight in the eyes.

"Why are you telling me that?" huffing, Kahoko stood up and pretending to fix something, hiding her face.

"Well... I heard your phone conversation with Kazuki..." Tooya fanned himself as he watched Kahoko's body stiffen.

"You were prying AGAIN?" Kahoko did not move, her voice like icy shards of glass.

"Not really... I was about to call a friend.. When I heard it..." now inspecting his nails, Tooya smirked.

"What are you gonna do? Still gonna see him?" he taunted.

Keeping her silence, Kahoko nodded and looked away.

"You better be home before 8 p.m and bring home something nice, okay?" Tooya stood up and left.

As he left, Tooya watched Kahoko lay down beside Sakura, worry still etched on her face.

_"That's why... I made that promise with you... That's how much I love you..."_

No, Kahoko didn't know Kazuki was in love with her. She had hanged up the other phone and Kazuki had intentionally said that when she hanged up.

He wasn't really agreeable with Kazuki... but if he was more better than the Azuma bastard, he'd like to meet him someday.

.

. . .

.

"WHAT THE H-!" gasping, Kazuki clutched his chest.

Eyes wide like saucers, he stared and stared and stared some more as the picture in front of him on Facebook seemed to enlarge itself and hit him on the face with a loud THWACK!

Shaking his head, Kazuki held the computer on both sides and pressed his face on the computers screen, hardly believing what he was seeing.

_THE PHOTO! THE STUPID PHOTO!_

Inwardly, he reviled himself and kicked his ego.

_HOW IN THE NAME OF JESUS DID THIS UNHOLY PHOTO GET OUT! _he screamed inwardly some more before sinking back unto his chair with a face full of sweat.

As he stared with a ghastly face at the picture, he knew who was the culprit.

_Eira Chiu._

She was their old half-Chinese classmate in college. A close friend of Kahoko.

_Or so it would seem... _He shook his head as he stared some more.

He knew that within minutes, Kahoko would see that photo and HE would be left with a..a...a... a no-show girl he had been trying to swat Aya away with.

The aircon made Kazuki sweat even more as a message popped out of nowhere from Rai, another friend.

_...Nice photo with Eira - chan. Kahoko said you two look perfect..._

And with that, Kazuki clutched his chest, wheezing heavily as if he ran a mile with lead weights on his body.

_...Really?..._

_...Yeah. She said you look like a couple..._

_...I know..._

_...So, are you and Eira dating?..._

The unholy question!

Kazuki's hands started sweating and his brain started freezing.

_CRAP!_

He didn't know HOW to tell the truth to Rai without making him suspicious of his feelings towards Kahoko.

_...no comment..._

_...really? And I thought you like Kahoko a lot. maybe I got my sources wrong. hmm..._

_...to hell with your sources!..._

Logging out his Facebook, Kazuki banged his head repeatedly with his palm.

Checking his phone, his face turned pale at the thought that in less than 2 hours, Kahoko would either appear or not and look at him with a face looking like she would love to hit him with an umbrella.

_Ring! ! ! ! ! Ring! ! ! ! ! Ring! ! ! ! ! !_

_Pick up! Pick up! Pick up!_

Tapping his table nervously, Kazuki looked around him.

_Pick up Kahoko! _he muttered under his breath.

_Click._

_"Hello?"_

.

.

* * *

**I'm going make hanging things for you guys. . . hahaha! ! ! because I'm too busy...*ehem*..rather, engrossed watching Tenimyu Dream Live 1st. . . its a Prince of Tennis Musical. . . haha! ! ! I'm so hooked! ! ! haha! ! ! so, I'll see you in my next update! hopefully.. . . haha! ! ! Go NagayaN! ! ! :)**


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